


Republic City Circus

by withoutthinking



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-11 18:45:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 39,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4447535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withoutthinking/pseuds/withoutthinking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Republic City is a violent place run by gangs and corrupt politicians, and it shapes people in different ways. Korra, Asami, Kuvira, Amon, Lin, Suyin, etc., all do what they think is right. Some will be seen as heroes, others as villains. All will be tested, and unlikely alliances will form. How will the circus resolve itself? </p><p>(I can't say too much in the description without giving away spoilers, but I did my best to stay true to the characters while flipping around a lot of relationships and roles people normally play. Hope you like it.)</p><p>A lot of action starts happening after ch 5, so try to get there before you give up on me ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all, this is my first fanfic. Tell me what you think.

Asami’s apartment was a mess of papers, take-out containers, and dirty laundry. Two weeks, she told herself. Two weeks of letting things go, and then back to the usual. She was working on a plan to redesign a stretch of road in the Dragon Flats that had the highest incident of automotive accidents in Republic City. It was intended to be a small project, but it was also the perfect opportunity to enact a prototype for better city design that she had been thinking about for a while. Asami drew another line and set down her pen, closing her eyes and letting out a slow breath.

Two hundred fifty-four hours and sixteen minutes. That’s how long it had been since her dad told her what was going on. He had been funneling company funds into an illegal weapons manufacturing project for the past year. Two hundred seventy-six million three hundred thousand yuans. The press ate it up. It would been 16 hours and eight minutes until her father announced his resignation, and 70 hours and 44 minutes until she became the next CEO of Future Industries, Republic City’s largest corporation by a long shot. All in all, she was holding up—she took a look around the room—fairly well.

If there were two things her father had taught her to do well they were taking care of a multi-billion yuan engineering company and pushing her feelings aside by throwing herself into work. You did well, dad, she thought with a sarcastic smile. She took another sip of her fire whiskey and looked at the plans in front of her. It felt good to work on a problem that was solvable _._ She had started the prototype after she noticed that the plants in the river behind one of the Future Industries factories were growing differently than they did elsewhere. She formed a team to research the effects, and even the early results were enough to spark a concern about the environmental impact of Future Industries’ technology.

 _A bit narrower here and we could fit a path for bicycles on an expanded sidewalk. Non-local traffic would have to be redirected, but we could reduce speeds and take some cars off the road_. She had to relegate the project to the little free time she had, but it was a welcome break from the mess her father left her. She was working out some of the numbers when Mako knocked. She jotted down a couple notes and went to get the door. When she opened it, Mako was still in uniform. He stepped forward and gave her a long hug. They had snapped at each other over text the whole morning, but he had still promised to come over as soon as his shift ended. Mako wasn’t great with words, but he cared. She rested her head against his chest. They had been up and down for the past few weeks, and while it felt nice to be in his arms she didn’t want to stay there for long. “Let’s go inside.”

“Spirits, Asami. What happened in here?”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to criticize. I just—are you ok?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know, Mako. You want a drink?”

He nodded, and she went to get him a glass.

Mako walked to the window and looked at the Yue Bay. The view was unlike anywhere else in the city, but Asami always sat at the chair facing away from it when she worked. No distractions. He watched some gliders over Air Temple Island enjoying the last of the summer sun, swooping in large, gentle circles above the cliffs. Asami walked up next to him and handed him a glass. They stood in silence for a while.

“So…?”

“So I don’t know,” Asami said with a shrug. “I take over the company. My father’s dream.” She looked more tired than he had ever seen her. She routinely stayed up all night working on projects, but this was different. It wasn’t the frantic excitement and joy of cracking a puzzle; it was the wear of too many unsolvable problems.

“Are you sure about this?”

“I have to. It’s our company, Mako, and it’s falling apart. My father and I have our differences, but I can’t let Future Industries crumble.”

“But right now you’re free. You’re not implicated in anything your dad did. You haven’t been in the papers hardly at all. You can do whatever you want. You don’t need to do this.”

“But this is what I want.”

“People are going to talk, Asami. They’re going to wonder if you were involved. They’re going to say the same things about you as they say about your father. Do you _really_ want that? And for what? _His_ company? ”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“But Asami—“

“Mako, drop it.”

“Look, I’m serious.”

“Mako.”

“Have you even thought this through?”

“Are you kidding me? Have I thought about this? All I do now is think about this. About Future Industries. About my father. About the mess and the speculation and what tomorrow’s headlines will be. About how people will receive me, the 23-year-old CEO. About how to recover our name, how to save our employees’ jobs, how to convince people to do business with us again. Not to even mention the environmental data I’ve been gathering or the stadium opening next week or trying to figure out where in the world my dad was sending those weapons.”

“It’s going to look bad, Asami.”

“For whom, Mako? Me or you?”

“If you want to make it about that, fine, but I’m trying to help you.”

“Why is it that your help always feels like an interrogation?”

“Okay, okay.” He paused for a while. “I guess I don’t know what to say. I want to be here but I don’t know how.”

“I don’t think either of us does,” Asami said, the harshness gone out of her voice. “We were good at bars and dinner, but we’ve never really been good at the rest of it.”

“I guess that’s true. We work well when things are simple.”

“And they aren’t getting any simpler for a very long time.” The two stood in silence for a while longer, before Mako interrupted it.

“So that’s that?” he asked, looking at her.

Asami kept her eyes on the window. “I think so.”

“Fine,” he said quietly, setting down his empty glass.

“Fine,” Asami replied, watching the empty sky as Mako let himself out.  

 

* * *

 

“Surprise!” Bolin shouted over loud music. “Mako’s favorite bar. I really wanted to take you to mine, but it’s ladies only on Fridays and I’m your spiritual guide tonight and I have a feeling you’re really going to need me and plus I can’t believe you’ve never been out and I definitely want to be—”

“Bolin, I can’t hear anything you’re saying,” Korra shouted.

He pulled her into one of his trademark slightly too tight hugs. “Korra, we are going to have SOMUCHFUN,” he screamed, pulling her to the far corner. She tripped because of the sudden direction change and laughed at Bolin.

Korra was a new recruit to the Varrick Industries arts/culture/entertainment project that Bolin was a part of. After practice today, she had mentioned that she had never been to a club in Republic City, and Bolin was horrified. It was their last weekend before dress rehearsals started—“Our last weekend of freedom,” he said dramatically, hands clasped to his heart and face pointed skyward—and Bolin demanded that they go out. They had been in the club for less than five minutes and Korra already knew this was going to be one of her favorite nights in a long time.

Bolin was pulling them toward a dark space in the corner of the bar. “This,” he gestured in front of them, “is why Mako likes the place. He gets to hide and be moody.” As they continued forward, Korra saw that it was a bar. “Oh! You’ll get to meet Wei tonight! I’m pretty sure he’s working.”

Korra’s eyes were still adjusting to the darkness, but she could make out a tall, athletic-looking man with a crew cut wearing a grey t-shirt. “Wei!” Bolin shouted, switching to his smoothest actor’s voice once he had the bartender’s attention. “This is the lovely lady Korra, who has so valiantly saved my and your mother’s butts by replacing Yuki.”

“Hey, Korra,” Wei said with a smile. “Nice to meet you. But aren’t you two supposed to be in bed by now? The show starts in a couple weeks, right?”

“Wei, you question our judgment? I’m offended!” Bolin said, crossing his arms and scowling. Then he leapt over a stool and plopped himself down. “Come on, help some friends celebrate. Korra has never even been out in Republic City!”

“Alright, what’ll it be?”

Bolin interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on them, squinting and staring Wei down. Wei stared back at him and they both slowly broke into a smile. “Cactus juice!” they shouted in unison. “It’s our specialty,” Wei said to Korra. “You have never had good cactus juice before, I promise you. We don’t dilute ours like everyone else,” he said, handing her a small glass with a wink. Korra twirled it around and saw that whatever was inside was slightly thicker than water. She looked at Bolin who already had his cup to his lips. Challenge accepted. Korra tipped her head back and swallowed the contents in one go. The liquid was slightly sweet and surprisingly warm. Delicious. She could get used to this.

“Alright, dance floor time,” Bolin said. Korra groaned and Wei laughed.

“Don’t you dance for a living now?” Wei asked.

“That’s _acrobatics_. It’s strength. Creativity. Not, well, whatever this is. I don’t know how to do this,” Korra said looking over at the crowd of bodies pushed against each other. The music was good, though. She had heard the frontman, Tanho, introduce the band as The Wolfbats, and they were laying down some stuff that made Korra want to try out a few new moves with Bolin for their routine. Probably not the best idea for a club, but if he was going to make her dance she was going to have fun, and there were few things she loved as much as a bit of danger and a bit of showmanship.

“I see that look,” said Bolin. “Alright, I’ll tell you what. We go dance. I’ll help you. You’ll get it no problem. And then maybe after a couple more of those cactus juices you’ll convince me to try whatever wild thing you have in mind.”

Korra grinned. “Wei, two more, please!”

“Woah, there, tigersheep. Ok, two more but then I’m sending you to dance it off before I’ll give you another one. Last time I served Bolin everything he wanted I had to call Mako and Wing to carry him out and apparently he fell asleep in a bowl of noodles at Narook’s.”

“I’d pay to see that,” Korra said, earning her a jab in the ribs from Bolin, who cried, “Slander!” before finishing his second cactus juice.

“Alright, let’s do this,” Korra said, starting for the dance floor. “Thanks, Wei!”

 

After several cactus juices, Korra and Bolin were dancing hard. Bolin knew a surprising number of different types of dances and whenever the music switched he would show Korra new steps. As resistant as she was at first, she liked the challenge of learning so much so quickly and pushing the limits of her coordination and flexibility. And Bolin kept surprising her with new twists and shakes, pulling her into a twirl or offering to hoist her up.

“Ok, break,” Korra said, panting, after the song ended. The two of them walked to the edge of the dance floor, and the wall flushed green and purple. She looked around and realized what she had taken to be a multi-colored wall was actually constantly changing colors. “What’s the deal with the wall, Bolin?” Korra asked.

“Oh, this is one of my favorite parts of the club! The walls change color according to the moods of the people closest to them. Each color means something. Green is energy and excitement, and purple is trust,” he said, beaming. Korra realized that it was true; she had come to trust Bolin so much in a short period of time. Aside from Naga, he was her best friend. And she was having an incredible night.

The Wolfbats began to play a new song. The green next to them brightened in intensity. “Bo! This song is perfect. Come on!” She grabbed his hand and dragged him to a gap near the center of the dance floor.

 

* * *

 

Mako walked aimlessly for a while after he left Asami’s place. As he turned to cross the street, a Satomobile zoomed past, just missing him. “What the—come on, watch where you’re going!” he yelled. He’d have to remember to tell Asami that the…right. No telling Asami. He leaned against the wall, picking at the insides of his pockets. The street was lit sparsely in thick yellows and the passersby walked like they had places to be. He didn’t feel like going anywhere.

Wandering wasn’t doing him much, though, so he walked to the main street to get his bearings. Not far from his favorite place. It was a good spot to mull things over. Nobody usually saw him at the bar, and Wei was pretty good about knowing when to leave him be. He walked the few blocks there and slipped in the back door, which led right next to the bar. He had flashed his badge more than once to calm down boisterous customers, and it had earned him a few liberties.

“Sorry it’s the Wolfbats again,” Wei said with a small smile. He knew they were a little upbeat for Mako’s taste.

“It’s ok. I’m not here for the music tonight.”

“Cactus juice?”

“Make it a double.” Mako was normally a conservative drinker, but Wei knew better than to say anything about that.

“You know your brother’s here.”

“Oh yeah? I’ll catch up with him in a little while.”

“With the new girl, Korra.”

“Huh, haven’t met her.” Wei handed Mako his drink.

“Well, give me a shout if you want another. I’m sorry it’s a rough day,” he said, and left Mako alone.

After a few quick shots Mako was feeling…different. He had heard that the cactus juice picks up on whatever mood you’re in but had never had enough to understand what that meant. Now, he felt not quite detached but not sad either. He just felt present. He smiled to himself. _Good decision, Mako. Chief Mako, calling the shots._ Chief Mako, it sounded good to him. He stood up and bumped his head on the bar overhang. “Woah there, you alright?” Wei asked.

“Oh yeah, nothing the matter here, sir!” Mako said, stiffening his back and holding a salute. Wei laughed. “Hey, where’s Bo? I want to show him how _fun_ I can be.”

“You didn’t see? He and Korra are tearing it up on the dance floor. There’s a whole crowd watching them.”

Mako had his back turned to the dance floor for the past hour, and when he turned to look he realized that there was a crowd gathered around something. “Well, then. Chief Mako to the dance floor.” Wei made a note to tease him about the nickname next time.

Mako slipped into the crowd, and immediately everything felt way too hot. He realized he was still in uniform, and went back to ditch his jacket with Wei. _Strategy, Mako. Operation Infiltrate Crowd. Think, think. Got it!_ Mako walked a circle around the crowd, found the thinnest spot, and, feeling quite good about himself, pushed through to the front. The song had just ended and everyone was cheering. Korra and Bolin exchanged a high five, took a bow, and made for the edge of the circle, but the crowd wouldn’t budge. They started to chant for another dance. Korra held up her hands and everyone quieted down. “Ok, one last one! Not because we don’t love this but because we want to dance _with_ you after this! And if you like what you saw here you should check out our show. It’ll be up in a couple weeks at the new stadium.” Everyone burst into another round of cheers and applause. Korra quieted them down again. “Alright, Tanho. Can you do something slow for us this time?” Tanho put his hand over the mic and exchanged some words with the band.

“Alright, we don’t play slow often, but we got a new one for you. Show us something good!”

Korra whispered something to Bolin and he raised his eyebrows at her. She put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something else, and he smiled and nodded. They split off to opposite sides of the circle. The walls were glowing the most intense green he had ever seen.

“Just give us a sign when the song goes into something big,” Korra yelled over the crowd. Tanho nodded began to sing something slow and sparse. The band backed him only with a few alternating piano chords, then added some vocals that mimicked the chords. Everything was simple, leaving Tanho’s deep voice echoing through the whole club.

Korra and Bolin kept directly across from one another as they slowly walked around the circle. It looked something like watching fighters before a match—elegant, precise, controlled—but there was something lighter about how they moved. Bolin cut to the center and stood still. Korra circled around until she faced him and took three long, slow strides until they were close. On the next beat she dropped, falling past Bolin who caught her by the shoulder with one arm and then spun her up, balancing her whole body on his own shoulder. The crowd cheered, and Korra dropped down behind Bolin. They did a sequence of moves that ended with Korra cartwheeling over Bolin’s shoulders and turning to face him. The two smiled hard at one another. They were clearly having an amazing time and it was infectious.

After a few more moves, Korra backed away, leaving Bolin alone in the center of the circle. The band dropped out, leaving just Tanho’s voice in the background. A few beats later, Tanho raised a hand, and Bolin gave Korra a big thumbs-up. The music paused and the club was silent for a second, then Korra started running toward Bolin, who bent in a squat and cupped his hands over his knees. The guitars and drums came in with a crash as Korra jumped into Bolin’s hands and was launched into a full backflip. Bolin caught her on his shoulders and they settled, only for Korra to jump into a front sommersault and land back on his shoulders. The crowd went completely wild. Bolin and Korra finished with a couple smaller moves, and the crowd cheered them all the way through three sets of bows. They yelled a few thank-yous and then the Wolfbats resumed their original set.

Mako could not stop staring. Korra was incredible. She could do things the toughest fighters he knew could only dream of, but she was full of a grace and light that he had never seen. Not to mention that she was completely gorgeous. Her thick, brown hair was tied up and she was wearing a blue cut-off that showed strong shoulders and a hint of her ribcage. Her soft, blue eyes were striking in contrast to sharp lines of muscle and dark skin. And her face was either intense in a slightly unnerving but completely hot way or genuinely open and warm, which it was now, because she was looking right at him.

Bolin was waving with a huge grin on his face. Mako realized he had been caught staring, but for some reason he didn’t care. It only dimly occurred to him that it was probably a bad idea to be on a substance that enhanced his feelings (a lot) when he already felt more attracted to this girl than he had to anyone ever before. Not much time to think, though, because Bolin and Korra were already heading toward Mako. He turned to walk to the edge of the crowded dance floor, and only realized his folly when it was too late. The wall behind him was pulsing a deep red. Bolin caught it and looked like he was going to explode, but Mako fixed him with a serious stare.

Bolin cleared his throat. “Err…right,” he said, trying to hide a laugh with a cough, “Korra, this is my big bro Mako. Mako, Korra. Though it seems that you already, noticed that.”

“Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Korra said, holding her hand out.

“Yeah,” was all Mako managed to get out. _Focus, Captain Mako. You got this. Right, shake her hand._ He awkwardly stuck out his hand a little too far and ended up mostly shaking her wrist, which made Korra laugh.

“Looks like we’re not the only ones who have been drinking a bit, huh, Bolin?” Korra said with a smile. “Hey, so I figured the bright green was just more excitement, but what’s red? It’s not anger is it?”

Bolin blushed. “Err, not exactly…”

“Well,” Korra said, seeming to have put two and two together, “I might just head to the ladies room. I’ll be back in a minute.” She turned to go, but not without winking at Mako first.

Mako watched Korra walk away until Bolin started waving his hand in Mako’s face.

“Earth to Mako! Earth to Mako! Anyone there?”

“Bo, get out of my face!” Mako said, swatting away his hand. Bolin grabbed him in a bear hug.

“I’m so glad to see you! And I’m so glad you got to see us! What do you think? Huh? I think we’re going to be superstars! Did you hear that crowd?”

“You guys were incredible,” Mako said with a hiccup. “Korra’s incredible.”

“Yeah, speaking of that…”

“Asami and I kind of broke up. I think it’s for good this time.” Mako felt like he sobered up thinking about it.

“Ah man, I’m sorry Mako.”

“It’s ok. I think it’s for the best. Anyway, I’ve had a bunch of cactus juices so let’s not focus on this. That routine, though, Bo. I think you’re right. It’s really something special.”

“I know! Korra has already added so much and she’s still pretty new. It’s a whole different routine with her. She’s a total natural, and she’s always pushing us to do new things. I’m so glad she decided to stick with us.”

“She’s amazing.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up, Bo."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might as well post 'em while I have 'em. Thanks for the comments so far! Feel free to keep them coming. All feedback is welcome.
> 
> Also, I decided to up the rating because I'm not sure where this is leading and I'd rather give people a heads up now than later.

Korra walked to the restrooms with a huge smile on her face. She hadn’t been this flirtatious in a long time, but she figured there were only a couple more stops she could pull for the night and why not? She and Bolin just nailed a routine that should be impossible (and was completely idiotic to try anywhere but the gym), the crowd loved it, and apparently Bolin’s pretty cute older brother had a huge thing for her. Not a bad first night out.

Korra finished up in the stall and went to the sink to wash her hands. She splashed some water on her face, wiped it off on her shirt, and looked at herself. This wasn’t something she had done for a while, but she had come a long way and it felt good to be so carefree. Maybe she needed a little more of that. _Spirits. What am I thinking? But I’m going for it._

Korra walked back to the boys who were punching each other playfully. The wall went from yellow back to red, though a few swirls of yellow remained. Korra stepped in front of Bolin mid punch and caught Mako’s fist. “No hurting my partner now, or I’d probably have to beat you up.”

“Alriiiight, then. I think that’s my cue,” Bolin said, dramatically side stepping his way toward the other end of the dance floor.

“So what’d you tell him?” Korra asked, still holding his fist.

“Uhh.” Mako blushed. He looked a little confused but it worked with his styled hair and tight white t-shirt. She could see the outline of his chest and abs, and it was definitely turning her on. He relaxed his hand and she interlaced their fingers. It felt good to touch him, and she knew she wanted more. She took a step toward him just big enough that they were closer than a regular conversation would merit. Mako leaned back slightly and hit the wall. Korra laughed and stepped forward again until they were almost touching. She looked up at his face with a smile and determined eyes that made Mako’s knees weak.

“I think you’re kind of cute and I’d like to kiss you,” she said plainly.

Mako nodded, and Korra pressed her body into his and kissed him.

 

* * *

 

Asami lit a cigarette and paced. She didn’t smoke much indoors but, spirits, who cared? She was letting everything else go anyway. She had tried to focus on her plans for nearly an hour after Mako left, but it wasn’t working. She drank the last of the fire whiskey from the bottle in a few swallows and rehashed the conversation for the fifth time. How did they land at the conclusion that they should break up? It didn’t make sense. Asami knew that she and Mako didn’t work well and it wasn’t that she exactly loved their relationship but she didn’t like how she felt right now, either. _I’m fine on my own. This isn’t new, and I’ve been through worse. I’m going to be all right._

She couldn’t believe he just left like that, without even a look back. Well, she did understand it. It was exactly what she would have done. Or what she had done given that she hadn’t asked him to stop, either. She took another drag of her cigarette. She didn’t smoke much, but she loved how it felt specifically when she was anxious. Which she was. Very anxious. She could feel herself breathing hard. _I’m going to be all right. I’m going to be fine._ _I need to get some fresh air, that’s all_.

She grabbed her keys and her wallet and left her apartment. She began to walk, fast. She was a little chilly in nothing but black jeans and a thin black swoop top, but it didn’t bother her too much. She tried to focus on the click of her boots against the pavement or the design of the intersections she passed or the pattern of her breathing. She started to get into a rhythm, the clicks matching her breaths matching the lines in the sidewalk. After a few more blocks, she could feel herself calming down, though it was most likely because she was starting to feel the whiskey.

She looked around to get her bearings and realized she was close to Mako’s favorite club. _Maybe talking to him would be a good idea._ _Even though I’m drunk. And panicky. And have no idea what I want. Ah, what the hell._ Asami crossed the street and walked toward the club, taking note that the pedestrian light that Future Industries recently pioneered wasn’t as clear in practice as the prototype had been. She’d redesign it in the morning.

As she approached the club she saw the line and groaned. She got in the back of it and waited, starting to feel the cold. She hugged her arms and began to rub them with her hands when Wing came up to her. “Ms. Sato, err, sorry, Asami, I know you don’t like us to do this, but would you please skip the line and go inside? I swear I’m not doing it because of who you are—you’re just always so nice and you look like you’re freezing, so please?”

“You know, tonight I’ll take you up on it.” She walked with Wing to the front and entered the club, giving him a thankful smile. Asami looked for Mako in the corner by the bar, but he wasn’t there. The club was loud but Wei saw here and pointed to the dance floor. She was surprised. _Mako on the dance floor? And tonight of all nights?_ Asami loved to dance, but Mako would hardly ever join her. She worked her way around the crowded floor but couldn’t see him anywhere. She decided to walk around the edges and see if he was standing against the wall somewhere. She took a step to the side and bumped right into Bolin. “Oh, hey Bolin,” she said weakly, but with a smile. “Have you seen Mako?”

Bolin turned bright red. “Um, no. I haven’t! But you’re here. I see you! Yes. Asami. You. Here. Let’s get a drink at the bar!”

“Bolin, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Just thirsty. You know me!”

“You know I can tell when you’re lying right? And it doesn’t help that you keep moving side to side like you’re trying to block me from something.”

“Shoot. I always forget you’re a supergenius.”

“I don’t think that’s—” Asami stopped mid sentence because she caught a view over Bolin’s shoulder. A slightly sweaty girl in a blue shirt had Mako pinned against the wall in what looked like an extremely passionate kiss. “Oh.” Asami turned around and started to leave.

“Asami!” Bolin yelled. Mako heard Asami’s name and turned to see her walking out of the club.

“Shit.”

 

* * *

 

Asami took a right out of the club and headed down the main street. _Keep walking and don’t stop_. “Asami!” Bolin called, running after her. “Hey, come on, let’s talk.”

“About what, Bolin?” Asami kept her tone curt.

“Well, um, maybe what you just saw?”

“I get it. We broke up. Mako moved on. There’s nothing to talk about.”           

“Asami, I can tell you’re hurting. Mako can be a jerk, and now of all times, I—”

“I don’t need you to feel sorry for me.”

“That’s not what I meant. I don’t know, I just wish you’d talk to me. Let me help out. We’ve been friends for a while now, and I really care about you.”

“I know.” Asami’s tone softened, and she slowed down her pace. She slid her arm through Bolin’s. “I’m not so used to the whole friend thing.”

“Well for starters we could go to Narook’s and eat our weight in noodles.”

Asami laughed, but she looked down for a second before speaking. “I’m really glad you’re in my life, Bo, but I think tonight I need to be alone.”

Bolin wanted to pull her into a hug and not let go, but he could tell it was already taking a lot for her to speak to him and he didn’t want to push it. “Ok, but don’t forget you _do_ have friends, ones who love you a lot,” he said, putting his hand over hers and looking her in the eyes. For a second he saw how tired, sad, and alone she was, but she quickly looked away. When she looked back, she was composed as always. 

“Why don’t you go back inside and tell Mako I don’t hate him,” she said with a smile. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Ok,” Bolin said, stopping as Asami slipped her arm out of his and continued to walk away.

 

Asami pulled out another cigarette and lit it, taking a long drag and feeling the warmth of the smoke pass through her mouth and into her throat. She walked by a few bars, not knowing where to go. _Keep walking and don’t think about it. Focus on the smoke or the buzz or what you’ll do with the company. The redesign._

“Hey there,” a woman called, pulling Asami out of her thoughts and making her stop. Asami was used to getting catcalled and normally either ignored it or returned it with some not so friendly words of her own, but tonight wasn’t a normal night. She looked the woman over slowly. She wore short black boots, tight black jeans, and a loose white shirt that showed off her long, strong arms. Her short black hair had a streak of silver running through it, and her fierce gray eyes were staring right into Asami’s. “You just gonna stare, or you want to finish that cigarette with me?” the woman said, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

_Challenge accepted._ Asami wasn’t fazed. She knew how she wanted the rest of the night to go, and she was used to getting what she wanted. She held the woman’s gaze and walked deliberately up to her. When they were inches away, she pulled the cigarette out of the woman’s fingers as she was taking a drag. Asami dropped both the cigarettes to the ground with a mischievous smile and leaned forward until her lips her brushing the woman’s ear. “I have a better idea,” she whispered, taking her time before withdrawing, slipping her hand into the woman’s, and pulling her into the club.

  

* * *

 

Korra groaned as her alarm buzzed for the third time. 5a.m. She had stopped working at the coffee shop since she joined the troupe with Bolin, but Tenzin had needed an extra hand for the next couple days and she was always happy to help out. Until it was five and she had to be at the shop for opening shift in thirty minutes. Who even gets coffee this early?

Korra rolled out of bed, glad she had headed back from the club early last the night. She went to her dresser and sniffed a few shirts to find a suitably clean one, then pulled on her blue canvas pants and a belt. She brushed her teeth and refilled Naga’s water bowl, then took her for a quick walk and left for work.

Korra loved biking in the mornings. There were only a few cars out, the air felt amazing, and it was a great time to think. The past night had been, well, interesting. Going out with Bolin had been great, and the crowd they drew with their routine was amazing. But then the stuff with Mako and Asami…ouch. Korra felt pretty bad about that. She knew it wasn’t her fault—neither Mako nor Bolin had said anything to her about Asami—but it still was really rough. And with everything happening with her dad and her company. Mako had filled Korra in as she was trying to cheer him up (as a friend, because after all of that she pretty immediately decided he wasn’t for her). From what Bolin and Mako told her, Asami seemed so private. Korra knew what it was like to be alone and hurting and not trust people, and she didn’t wish it on anyone. Asami must be having it really rough, unless of course she had no soul.

Korra was passing the last intersection and saw the light changing. What the hell—she could probably make it through and she was running a little late and there were really no cars on the road. She stood up on her pedals and pushed as hard as she could, enjoying the small physical challenge. She had another second to get through and—

Something hit Korra’s bike’s rear tire and she got thrown forward as it spun out from under her. She realized what was going on as she was in the air and her fighting and acro reflexes kicked in. She tucked into a ball, relaxed her muscles, and rolled on impact. She lay there for a couple seconds.

“Oh no! Are you ok? I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you!”

“I hate mornings.” Korra said with a groan as she carefully rolled over. It didn’t seem like anything was broken, or even really bruised. Spirits, she was lucky. And, she had to admit, pretty good at taking falls. She gently stretched out her legs as she looked up at the woman running toward her from a sleek, black sports car. She was wearing heels, a leather jacket, and a maroon shirt tucked into tight black high-waisted jeans. It took Korra a second to place her. Asami. _Yikes._

“So are you ok?” Asami asked, breaking the silence.

“Me? Right, of course me. Uh, yeah, everything’s tip-top!” Korra wanted to slap herself in the face. _Tip-top? Seriously? She probably already thinks you’re—_

“Well, you must be some kind of ninja then. I hit you pretty hard. Can I help you up?”

“Oh, right.” Korra grabbed her hand, which was thin but calloused and surprisingly strong. Asami pulled her up fairly easily. “Not a ninja, but this is kind of what I do a lot.”

“Cut red lights and hope for the best?” Asami asked.

Korra blushed. “No, no fall. I fall a lot in my job. I work with Bolin. Sorry, I don’t think we were ever officially introduced. I’m Korra. From the club,” she said with a wince.

“I know.” Asami had recognized Korra immediately. She normally had a knack for faces but the woman had stuck especially strongly in her mind. It looked like Korra was fine, so Asami let the silence stand because, hell, the last time she saw Korra was up against her very newly ex-boyfriend. She knew what happened with Mako wasn’t Korra’s fault, so she wasn’t angry, but she was hungover and exhausted and Korra had just popped up from out of nowhere and made Asami even more late for work, so she thought it was fair to be a little curt.

Korra blushed harder. She was a little out of it from the fall and she couldn’t think of anything to say.

Asami felt bad for the woman—she had just gotten hit by a car, after all. She walked over to Korra’s bike, and gave it a quick once over. “Unfortunately it doesn’t look like your bike fared as well as you did.” The rear wheel was trashed and it looked like the frame might have been bent. Korra walked over and crouched next to it. She really loved that bike. Her dad had bought it for her when she left for Republic City, and it had been with her through a lot.

Asami noticed the look on Korra’s face. “I can see if I can get that fixed for you,” she said without thinking.

“No, it’s ok. This was definitely my fault.”

“Really, it’s not a big deal and it looks like it means a lot to you.”

Korra studied Asami’s face for a while. “Ok.”

“I won’t be able to fit it in my car, so how about you lock it up here and give me the key? I can have someone swing by and grab it later. What time will you be home tonight?”

“Not until late. Probably eleven,” Korra said as she locked her bike.

“Perfect. I usually get out of the office around then. Here, write down your address for me. Do you need a ride wherever you were going?”

“No, it’s actually just a couple blocks and I couldn’t let you do me any more favors. Seriously, thank you.” Korra handed her the key.

“No problem.”

“Can I at least get you a coffee or something? You know, to make up for making you hit me with your car. I work at Tenzin’s.”

“No, I should take off or I’ll be late for work, but I’ll see you later tonight.” Asami turned without waiting for a reply and walked to her car.

_Definitely has a soul_ , Korra thought as she watched Asami drive away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank god we're over that Mako business...
> 
> Oh, if you haven't seen partner acrobatics and were curious, here's a cool video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISFmWpexS5g.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having fun writing this. I hope you're having fun reading it. Thanks for sticking with me, and as always let me know what you think!

Asami’s whole day had been full of dry meetings and difficult problems. She wasn’t sure if she could get Future Industries out of the red enough to survive the year, especially given how much their numbers had tanked. Morale was low among the staff, and the competition was trying to swoop in while the company was down. She was doing her best to come up with a plan, but she hardly had a moment to think in between press conferences and soothing investors and board members. And that was all before the police had shown up. They had interrogated Asami for hours, threatening to shut down Future Industries if she didn’t tell them where her dad had sent the weapons he shipped before anyone caught on. Unfortunately, Asami had no idea about any of it. The news about her father had been just as much a surprise to her as to everyone else, except that she had a couple days’ advanced notice. She added a visit to Police Chief Beifong on her list of things to do, ASAP. Too bad the list already had enough things to keep a normal person busy for weeks.

Asami shrunk down in her chair. Not only was there too much to do, but she was also having trouble sorting through her mixed emotions. Everything was whirring around out of her control. _Slow down, Asami. You’ve been here before. Take it apart piece by piece. Be methodical, impartial. Korra, let’s start with Korra._ She wasn’t sure why she had offered to get Korra’s bike fixed for her instead of giving her the number of a shop and paying for it. She didn’t much time to eat, let alone handle a stranger’s bike, and she definitely didn’t have the emotional energy to deal with more people in her life. But Korra was easy to be around, and Asami had liked her immediately. That was the problem. Picking people up at clubs was clean. Do the right things, get the desired results, move on. Being with Mako was like an extended version of that. She cared about him, but they kept things contained. But Korra—even the small conversation they had felt like it could go somewhere that Asami didn’t have control over. And if there was one thing she couldn’t have right now it was being out of control. She didn’t know what to do. As much as she wanted to see Korra and as much as she could use a friend in a moment like this, she had taught herself to keep people far away for a reason. _Take it apart and rearrange the pieces until they fit._ Asami had a compromise. She would help Korra with her bike, allow herself that indulgence, but nothing more.

“Mai?” Her assistant came into her office. “Can you get a hold of the guys and tell them to bring the bike to our shop here? I’d like to fix it up myself.”

“Of course, Miss Sato.”

           

Asami learned the basics about tools and fixing machines on bikes, and it had been a while since she had tinkered with one. They were much simpler than engines, but the work had a physicality to it that Asami liked. After she wrapped things up in the office, she headed down to the small bike shop her dad kept in the building. Her employees left the bike in the stand for her. She pulled out a tool to see check how bent Korra’s frame was. As she was aligning it in the front, she noticed something that looked like a scratch on the fork. She dusted it off and looked closer. It was a small engraving of what looked like a penguin. She noticed another similar scratch on the other side that turned out to be the number 3.She traced the engravings lightly with her fingers thinking that these were the kind of marks that meant something. When she went back to aligning the tool, she saw that the frame was bent enough that Korra would need a new bike. She had suspected as much on the street, but for some reason she also knew Korra wouldn’t have let her buy her a new bike, so she didn’t say anything. Better to ask forgiveness.

Asami picked her out one of her favorites in the Sato line: a simple, white single-speed—light, fast, and perfect for Republic City’s flat roads. She could see Korra on it. It was weird—she kept catching herself thinking of Korra like she had known her for a long time, but they’d only had a few minute conversation. 

The bike was already built, so there wasn’t much to do, but Asami had an idea. She looked back over Korra’s fork. It wasn’t damaged and was the same size as the one on the new bike. It meant unnecessary work and replacing a better part with a worse, used one, but something from the way Korra had looked at her old bike made Asami know she’d appreciate having a piece of it with her.

Asami smiled as she began the work. Taking out the wheel, undoing the brake cables, taking off the handlebars—the steps were like muscle memory for her. Her thoughts wandered to the days she spent with her mom and dad in this shop. This was one of the places she remembered being the happiest, and now it was almost always empty. She hadn’t meant to dig up anything tonight, and yet, here she was—in the shop she hadn’t been in for years. _Stop, Asami. You know better than to go there._ As she swapped the forks, adjusted the headset, and replaced the handlebars, she tried not to let familiar motions elicit familiar feelings. The boundaries she had felt all too fragile. Past was refusing to stay past; there were too many things that circled back and overlapped, and she felt in those moments like she could fall through and keep falling forever. _No_ , Asami pushed back. _Linear, like roads out of a city. Put everything in its place and move forward._ She bit her lip and took off her gloves. She picked up some red tape and began to carefully cover the bare handlebars, one round over the next, slowly and steadily letting the task crowd out all other thoughts.

Asami stood back. The bike looked good, and she had work to do. She decided to ride it over to Korra’s and then spend a little while thinking about how to save her father’s—no, her—company. She walked the bike out of the shop, not looking back as she turned off the lights and closed the door.

 

* * *

 

It was getting close to midnight and Korra was sitting on her couch watching a mover with Naga. Or, more accurately, it was getting close to midnight and Korra was sitting on her couch falling asleep in front of a mover while Naga kept watch. The day had been long, and she was exhausted. She had opened the shop for Tenzin, worked a full shift, and then gone straight to an eight-hour practice. Not to mention getting hit by a car. Or, more accurately, getting herself hit by a car.

Korra groaned. After what happened with Mako, Korra had expected Asami to hate her, especially after she had probably made her late for work and scratched her car. But Asami had seemed nothing but concerned for Korra, and had offered to get Korra’s bike fixed. For no reason whatsoever.

Korra thought back to their conversation. Asami had seemed so tired. Not tired. Tired would be expected from taking over a multi-billion yuan company after the current CEO had to step down. Harrowed. Like there were too many things she was trying to keep off her mind. Korra wanted to help Asami. She wanted to make her smile. She didn’t know why, but she felt like it would do Asami a world of good. _What am I thinking? I just met her this morning. Mostly. Ugh._ Korra felt herself blushing again. Why did she have to pick last night to be…adventurous?

Korra’s doorbell rang and Naga barked. “Shh, girl. It’s late.” Naga listened and quietly padded to the door. Korra followed, and the two went to meet Asami downstairs. When Korra opened the door, she froze. She hadn’t really _seen_ Asami Sato. The first time was, well, the first time. And the second time she was a little preoccupied with making sure she was alive and then bemoaning the fact that her dear bicycle was not. But now Asami was standing in front of Korra’s apartment door looking gorgeous and staring right at her. Korra’s felt her whole chest tighten. Asami was tall and thin and had long, black hair that fell over her shoulders in waves. Her green eyes were striking and her makeup was immaculate. But what drew Korra were the confidence Asami’s face projected and the look in her eyes. It was one of intelligence, calm and ready to challenge. Even with a chin smeared with grease and wearing tattered cargo pants, an oversized button up shirt, and a canvas messenger bag, Asami looked like she could take down a roomful of businessmen. Korra realized that what she had seen in Asami’s face earlier that morning must have been a very rare moment of discomposure. Korra also realized that she had just given the CEO of Future Industries a very long, slow once-over. Thankfully, Naga had Asami distracted.

“Here, let me get that for you,” Korra said, grabbing the sharp looking white, blue, and red bicycle that Asami was holding while trying to bend down and pet Naga. As soon as Korra did, Asami sat down cross-legged so her face was in line with Naga’s and gave the dog, who was already, apparently, best friends with her, a giant hug around the neck.

“Sorry,” Asami said as she got up, “I really love dogs.”

“Not a thing to be sorry for at all,” Korra said, noting that the CEO also had a soft side.

Asami smiled and rubbed Naga behind the ears. “No it isn’t, is it?” she said to the dog. She turned back to Korra. “So I have a some bad news. Your frame was pretty wrecked so I couldn’t fix it.”

“Oh.” Korra’s face fell, but she didn’t want to seem ungrateful because Asami did bike over here just to tell her the news. “That’s ok. Thanks for trying.”

“Well, I couldn’t fix it, but I got you this instead. It’s one of our bikes, so it’s on me. And your fork was fine, so I put it in this frame for you. I hope you don’t mind the old part.”

Korra didn’t know what to say. From the looks of it, Asami had put the bike together herself. She crouched down and ran her fingers over the engravings. Asami couldn’t possibly know what it meant to her, but she had paid enough attention to know that it meant something and she had cared. Korra stood up and grabbed Asami in a big hug, but the woman was stiff and cleared her throat. Korra backed up immediately.

“Sorry, I—”

“I should probably get going,” Asami interrupted. “I told my driver to follow me here so he’s probably just around the corner.”

Korra was taken aback by the quick change in tone. First, the woman is all forgiveness, then does something incredibly kind and caring, and then wants to take off and, it seems, never see her again.

“Oh, um, ok.”

“See you around,” Asami said before Korra could think of anything else to say. It was hard for Asami to turn away from Korra, but this was what she bargained for.

“Asami, wait,” Korra said, surprising Asami by grabbing her by the arm. “I was just thinking earlier—well I was thinking that I wanted to make you smile. Sorry, that came out weird.” Her mouth hadn’t totally caught up with her brain. “Let me try again. Can we please get a coffee? Or if you don’t like coffee maybe we could take a walk. Or I make killer pancakes. I don’t know, anything. I want to thank you for the bike. It means a lot to me, and, well, this morning you looked sad and Mako told me about the stuff with your dad and maybe you need someone to talk to. I know that might be presumptuous and you probably have a million people you’d talk to before me but it doesn’t feel like that. Not that it doesn’t feel like you have friends.” Korra was completely rambling by this point. “What I’m trying to say is that I’ve been alone and hurting and it sucks and if you ever needed someone who knew what it was like—”

Asami could tell Korra was rambling, but Korra’s face projected a sense of grounding and calm. Her blue eyes were kind and earnest, and for the first time Asami felt like she was in the company of someone who might actually understand. She wanted to let Korra hold her in another one of those hugs. She wanted to tell her everything. But people made things unpredictable, and Asami didn’t have it in her to take risks anymore. Not like this. “Korra, I really appreciate it, but now’s not a good time,” she said, a little more firmly than she intended. She still felt the ache of wanting to be comforted, but she pushed it further down and tried to keep the emotion from her face. “I hope you like the bike.”

Korra watched Asami walk to a car down the street. It would be easy to write the woman off as cold or condescending. Asami was more than willing to help Korra, but she shut down any offer to make the exchange mutual. And when she did, her face was hard and her voice had a touch of harshness to it that clearly intended to send the message “not interested.” Or, “I’m not here to make friends.” The mask was damn good, but Korra knew better. She could tell that Asami had a kind heart and a soft side. She was covering it, probably because it had gotten her hurt too many times in the past. Or because she had been forced to and it had become habit. Whatever the reason, Korra knew the signs because she had pulled all the same tricks before. She could feel the emptiness beneath everything Asami said to push her away, but she also knew better than to push back too hard. Some things need to take their time. Korra watched until she lost sight of the car, and then started to carry the bike inside. “Come on, girl,” she said to Naga. “Let’s go eat some ice cream.”

 

* * *

 

It had been almost two weeks since Asami had dropped Korra’s bike off, and she had thought about little but Future Industries since. She had spent the first few days as CEO focusing on soothing her investors and the board as much as possible. Nobody was going to pull out, but she needed to show results. She could work with that. At the same time, she was making tours of the factories and talking to employees. They were mostly concerned about their jobs, and she did her best to put their concerns at ease. Morale wasn’t at an all-time high, but she had made some good speeches and it looked like people were willing to put their faith in her.

The press was another matter. For the first couple days after she started as CEO, there was a thick a crowd of reporters outside the office building any time she came or went. At the press conference she held, they barraged her aggressively with questions. And they were following the police investigation of her father like hawks. For the most part, the stories they chocked together were sensational. Not entirely harmless, but not a major threat either. That didn’t worry Asami. Kuvira, on the other hand, did.

Kuvira was a lead reporter for the Republic City Times, one of the city’s major newspapers, and she was good. She had made a name for herself toppling a few major politicians by connecting them to the city’s growing gang violence and by exposing a few underhand conversations between Cabbage Corps board members and someone in Raiko’s office. Kuvira went after the big players, which apparently Asami now was. She was quiet but struck hard; she wouldn’t write anything for months and then the Times would publish an exposé that nobody saw coming. And for the past couple weeks, Kuvira had constantly been in Asami’s peripheral vision. _Not a good sign._

There wasn’t much Asami could do but be as vigilant as possible, so instead she focused her efforts where they were needed: Future Industries’ actual work. The stadium was up and running according to plan and represented somewhat of a truce between Varrick Industries and Future Industries. “Somewhat” because Varrick could never be completely counted on, but having his project in Future Industries’ building did tie his hands a little for the time being. All that was left to do was cut the ribbon on the stadium tonight during the gala held to celebrate the stadium’s opening and the first run of Varrick’s project. Asami wasn’t looking forward to all the schmoozing she would have to do, but there were worse things.

Aside from the stadium, the prototype for the redesign of part of the Dragon Flats was finished, but Raiko was dragging his feet on implementing it. Asami knew she would have to talk to him and convince him, but getting a private meeting with him was out of the question with Kuvira following her around. Everyone knew Raiko was connected to the gang violence in the city—he had been a young ambitious nobody a year before his first election and somehow managed to put together campaign finances that outmatched all of the major candidates and catapulted him into office. After that, the gangs had gotten stronger and the crackdown on them weaker, and four years later nobody was willing to contest Raiko in the reelection. It hadn’t affected Asami or Future Industries too much in the past—the effect was concentrated in certain areas of the city—but recently a few of their shipments had been intercepted and Raiko was becoming increasingly uncooperative. Regardless of what was going on, the last thing she needed was Kuvira catching her in a private discussion with Raiko. She might be able to talk to him at the gala, though.

And then there was the second environmental report, which was ongoing, and the usual: machine manufacturing and the competition. Satomobile sales were the bread and butter of Future Industries, and they had tanked once the news about Asami’s father got out. Asami was working on improving the company’s public image—she was constructing a park not far from the stadium—as well as designing a new line of cars that were much better than anything else on the market. The combination of the two should be enough to get Future Industries back in the game, especially since airship sales were now stable.

The main threat, then, was Cabbage Corps. Over the past few years, they had become an increasingly strong competitor. Their products were garbage, but they managed to get enough important city contracts that they were growing. And right after Asami’s father’s announcement, Cabbage Corps had announced that they were expanding into the construction sector and took a few major contracts from Future Industries over the next few days. Asami knew her proposals had been better, but Cabbage Corps had struck quickly while Future Industries’ popularity was low, and Raiko had rolled right over. The two companies were now pitted more directly against one another than they had been since they both started as car manufacturers. Asami hadn’t exactly figured out how to proceed, but she was scheming. It was like Pai Sho. She needed to see ten steps ahead. Thankfully, this was her strong suit.

It was an hour before Asami had to leave to get ready for the gala when her phone rang. “Asami.”

“Dad?” Asami was shocked to hear her father’s voice. She had refused to talk to him or visit him in his holding cell after the initial conversation about her taking over the company. It had made figuring out some of the business end of things more difficult, but the distance was helpful both politically and personally. “I already told you I don’t want to talk.”

“This is important Asami. I know the stadium opening is tonight. I can’t tell you too much, but you need to cut the ribbon and then leave. Don’t stay for the performance.”

“Why? Dad, what are you planning?” Asami asked, but the line was dead. Asami felt cold. Her dad sounded serious, as always, but there was something else in his voice that she remembered from the past, and it only ever accompanied the worst things. A familiar feeling rushed over Asami: she knew something bad was going to happen, but she didn’t know what. All she knew was that her father was involved, and it sounded serious.

Asami realized that this was incriminating evidence. The police had been trying to tie her father to whatever ends the weapons were being used for, but they didn’t know the ends and they didn’t have the link. Asami had a feeling the ends were about to become clear, and she, unfortunately, held the link. There was no way for her to warn anyone without incriminating her father, which, she supposed, is what he was counting on. His little girl’s desire to keep her father safe.

Asami swallowed. _Well, dad, I’ve changed. I’m not your little girl anymore._ If her dad called to warn her, it meant that something dangerous was going to happen. There were people to protect. Asami picked up the phone. She couldn’t tell the press—nobody would believe her, and time was short. She needed someone who could act quickly and respond to anything. She dialed Lin Beifong.

          

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the circus begin!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter one this time!

Korra took a deep breath and adjusted her bowtie. Schmoozing rich people who paid tons of money to be up close and personal with the “stars” of Varrick’s new project was not her cup of tea. But it was part of the performing deal, so Korra told herself to make the best of it and walked into the room where the gala was being held. She couldn’t get a drink because of the show, but she walked to the bar because she wanted something to occupy her hands with. She asked the bartender for a glass of water, and as he was pouring it someone walked up next to her.

“I’ll take a fire whiskey, dry, please.”

The voice was unmistakable. Korra turned to see Asami in a long, dark red dress with a high neck and no sleeves _._ She looked stunning. _Of course she would look perfect in formalwear._

“Hey,” Asami said. She was already looking at Korra.

“Hey,” Korra said, unclear how to read the situation. The last time she had tried to talk to Asami the woman had practically run in the other direction. “Didn’t take you for the stuck up gala type,” Korra tried.

Asami smiled. “I have to be here to cut the ribbon later. I sort of designed the stadium,” she said, suddenly shy.

Korra was shocked and impressed, but she could tell Asami didn’t want to make a big deal of it, so she let the comment go. “So even Asami Sato couldn’t get out of this gala. That makes me feel a little better.”

Asami laughed, and Korra smiled hard.

“Yeah, well, believe it or not even I can’t always have what I want.”

“Well, what do you want?” Korra asked.

“Sorry?”

“Right now, what do you want? What would you be doing if you didn’t have to be here.”

Asami thought for a second. “Driving. I love driving.”

“Let’s go.”

“What?”

“I’m going to die of boredom if we stay here, Asami.” Korra grabbed Asami’s arm and started to mock plead. “Please, don’t do that to me, please,” she said with big eyes, trying hard not to laugh along with Asami. “But seriously, nobody will notice we’re missing and you have a good hour before you even have to be near that ribbon. So let’s go for a drive.”

Asami paused and stared hard at Korra, like she was reading calculations across Korra’s face and doing the math in her head. “Alright,” she said after a couple seconds, putting down the fire whiskey that was still mostly full.

_Shit_. Korra was not expecting Asami to say yes. She was joking to get the woman to smile and relax a little because she looked on edge, not actually proposing to ditch the event that she very much had to be a part of for her job. But it would be really hard to back out at this moment and a drive with Asami sounded far more appealing than killing time making small talk with old rich people. Korra shifted her weight from foot to foot as she decided. “Alright,” she said. _Suyin’s going to kill me._

A drive sounded really good to Asami. She had been completely wound up since the call with Beifong. The police chief had taken her seriously, as Asami had predicted, and had reasoned out a strategy with Asami, whose reputation as a tactical thinker preceded her. They decided that her father would find a way to make whatever he was planning happen, whether it was tonight or another night. The benefit of it being tonight was that they knew when and where it was going to happen. So canceling the event would be a bad idea. Even warning people would be a mistake. They would skip the event or attend and act differently, which would let whoever was planning the surprise know people were onto them. Instead, they decided that Beifong would send her troops to sweep the stadium for any weapons or bombs. As long as the sweep returned negative, which it did, they would let everyone proceed as usual. Then, Beifong and her troops would come in plainclothes, watch, and react to whatever happened when it did. Not the world’s best plan, but given the circumstances it was the best they could do, and it was better than being completely unprepared.

Beifong has also advised Asami to listen to her father and skip the show. Nobody would be the wiser, and it would keep her safe. But Asami would have none of it. First, she hoped that her being in the stadium would assure some level of safety for everyone else because whoever was working with her father wouldn’t want to take Hiroshi’s daughter out. Second, if something did happen and she wasn’t present, she knew the press would immediately suspect that she and Future Industries were a part of it, and the company couldn’t handle a second blow to its image. So skipping any part of the night, as well as acting in any way like she knew that something was going to happen, was out of the question.

That didn’t mean that she wasn’t stressed out of her mind thinking about the next two to five hours. Which meant that it was the perfect time for a drive, because when Asami was stressed one thing that helped without fail was driving. Fast.

Korra hadn’t realized that when Asami had said drive she meant race. The woman was maneuvering her likely custom-built-to-go-extra-fast sports car at top speed through the city roads. Luckily, this part of the city was still mostly under construction and hence hardly trafficked, but at these speeds other cars were only half the battle. The other half, given that Asami seemingly had effortless control of the car, was Korra keeping her lunch down. Not exactly what she had thought of as a nice time-passing drive.

“Korra, you can relax you know. I built these roads and I built this car. We’re going to be fine.” _At least for now_ , Asami thought. That was why she liked cars. Once she shut the door, she had an enclosed universe all to herself that she had complete control over. Back at the stadium anything could happen, and she had no choice but to wait and see her father’s plan unfold.

“Ok, I’m going to trust you and relax,” Korra said taking a few deep breaths. “Now your turn. What’s got you looking so tense?”

Asami tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “Couldn’t say…I guess I just have a bad feeling about tonight.”

Korra knew that wasn’t the whole story, but she was surprised Asami had answered her question at all. A couple minutes passed before Korra broke the silence. “You know, driving with you is actually kind of nice once I forget about the fact that the world is zooming by and you are very casually holding our lives in your hands.”

Asami laughed. “Yeah, it is nice.”

They drove for the next forty minutes in comfortable silence until Asami brought them back to the garage next to the stadium. “Thanks for this, Korra.” She paused. “I’m sorry about earlier. Things these past couple weeks have been hard, and, well…I’m glad you’re here with me now.”

Korra wanted to pull the woman into a hug and tell her she could trust her, that she wasn’t going to hurt her or go anywhere, that they could talk any time. Instead, she put a hand on Asami’s arm. “Me, too.” They stayed like that for a moment, before Asami spoke again.

“Please be careful tonight,” she said very seriously.

“Oh, I’ll be fine. We’ve run this routine a hundred times.”

“I’m sure. But, please, be careful.”

Something about Asami’s voice made Korra shiver.

“Ok, I will. I should go get ready now. Will I see you after the show?” Korra asked.

“Yeah,” Asami said absentmindedly. “I’ll see you then.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll get a little of Korra's backstory in this one. Thanks thanks thanks for reading!

The lights dimmed, and Varrick stepped onto the stage. As soon as his speech ended, Korra and Bolin would drop from above the stage and the show would begin. Korra’s teeth were chattering and her hands were shaking. She hardly ever got cold, but she shivered a lot when she was pumped up for something big. It used to happen before every fight, and she missed the feeling. She knew the shaking would subside as soon as she started the performance, but for now it was like her body couldn’t contain itself.

Varrick had just finished a strange, unscripted rant about platypus bears, and Korra could _feel_ Suyin’s glare in his direction. “Alright, it looks like my time is up! Well, actually this whole time is my time because I own this thing, but onto the show! Zhu Li, do the thing!” Varrick shouted. Zhu Li opened the trap door and Varrick disappeared while a thick mist formed around the stage.

That was their cue. Korra looked at Bolin and the two gave each other their signature big thumbs-up and grins. Then, they dropped. The crowd saw them fall from nowhere, slide down a set of thick fabrics, and catch themselves upside down with their faces inches from the ground. Everyone erupted in cheers.

The show was about the eternal struggle between Raava and Vaatu, the ancient spirits of light and darkness. The first half of the show focused on their battle while the second half took a more peaceful turn, documenting the passage of time while the sprits fought. In the opening scene, Korra was wearing white and hanging from light blue fabrics, while Bolin was wearing black and hanging from red ones. The routine involved them doing various tricks with the cloth that let them sweep across the stage, drop dramatically, and spin and grapple with one another in the air. The result was a striking but graceful interpretation of the age-old battle that served as a preamble to the rest of the show.

After an incredible run, the scene ended with Korra and Bolin entangled in a mess of blues and reds rising back into the sky to a standing ovation. For the next hour and a half, the members of Varrick’s project continued to wow the crowd with stunt after stunt. The crowd had never seen anything like it, and they were eating it up.

While she was off stage, Korra scanned the audience to see if she could spot Asami. The show was important to Korra on its own, but knowing that she had a friend in the audience made it mean so much more. Was that what they were, friends? Asami had been a little standoffish in the beginning, but today had been different. Korra could feel the woman opening up to her, even if it was just the slightest bit. _Things take time._ Korra understood. It had taken her a while to trust people again, too. Three whole years. And even then Korra’s heart hadn’t opened up like this until now. She loved Bolin and Tenzin and the kids, but this was different. For some reason, Asami made her feel safe and free and whole, and it didn’t scare her. Well, not too much.

Korra realized that she was daydreaming when she should be paying attention. Her partner acrobatics routine with Bolin was the last scene before intermission, and the cue would be coming soon. The last riff of the current song ended, but instead of the song changing like it should, it faded out. In all the times they had rehearsed, Zhu Li hadn’t fumbled a single cue. This was completely unlike her. _Something must be wrong. What is Zhu Li doing?_ Korra wasn’t sure how to react. Bolin was across the stage so she couldn’t consult with him about whether they should start the routine or wait, so she decided to sit tight. For a few seconds, the stage was empty and the stadium was silent.

Then the machines started up, releasing a thick mist until it covered the whole stage and some of the audience, too. _This isn’t right. What’s going on?_   Korra could barely see anything. A few big flashes shot across stage and the sound of explosions filled the room. Suddenly some people dropped down to the stage. All Korra could tell through the clearing mist was that they were spaced out in a semi circle and that it looked like they were each holding something large. Korra’s heart started beating very fast and she could feel herself sweating. _Something is very wrong._

The crowd cheered. “Thank you for the warm welcome,” a voice boomed over the speakers.

 

Asami could tell that this wasn’t a part of the show. The music had stopped and she could see the regular security guards motioning frantically to one another. The stage was still covered in mist, and she hoped Beifong’s plainclothes officers were the ones who just landed. As the applause petered out and the mist cleared a bit more, Asami saw that the crowd was faced with about twenty people dressed head to toe in black. Not Beifong’s officers. And worse, most of them were holding machine guns. Three others held long, slender tubes, while a single man in a mask, who appeared to be the one speaking, stood behind them. The crowd started murmuring and shifting.

“Now, let’s not forget our manners,” he continued. “The audience of a performance must be silent, and you are about to witness a very spectacular performance. If you need any encouragement, my troops here will be happy to provide it,” he said with a smile. The audience immediately stopped talking and moving.

So this was what her father had been supplying weapons for. Asami felt the blood drain from her face.

“Better. See, with the right encouragement, anyone can change. That’s the thing with humans. We’re so susceptible to our environment. We will do almost anything given adequate pressure. So I’ve come to put a little pressure on you.”

_Ok, Asami. Stay calm. You have to figure out what he’s planning. That will give you an edge._ Asami looked around to see if she could spot anyone else who seemed to be part of the man’s group, but it looked like they were all on stage. She already knew there were no hidden explosives, which was good. _Ok, so all the action will be on the stage._

The man continued talking. “You see, the triads have gotten out of control. Or rather, they are too in control. They do the bidding of you wealthy business owners, crushing competition and making sure your dirty politicians stay in power. And in turn, you give them control of the streets in a few neighborhoods. You go home rich, and they get a sense of power and make some money on the side. Win win.

It’s not like this fairy-tale that Suyin so creatively put together. Light and dark do not exist. There is no balance. There are those who have power, and those who don’t. And you’ve constructed a wonderful system in which you have the power. The only hitch is the collateral damage, the people whose lives have been thrown into chaos thanks to your goons, who run their streets, demand bribes, and cause crimes.

Our lives are like a circus, dominated by the absurd and fantastical, seeming one way only to be another in an instant. Flash, bang, poof, and something disappears. Do you know what it’s like to live in a circus? To have your life dictated by someone else’s whim? To be at the mercy of the flip of a coin, heads your family lives, tails they die? Well, tonight is your lucky night. You’re about to find out.”

_This man likes chaos. Not good._ A terrorist who wanted something specific would be easier to figure out. There are specific means to achieve specific ends. But to achieve chaos, well, you could do almost anything. The gears in Asami’s brain were turning full speed as the man kept at his speech.

“Oh, Lin. Dear Lin. Let us have our fun, no? Call your officers off. We couldn’t let a secret strike stop us now. The show must go on! And if not for the sake of the show, keep in mind that these guns are trained on the 15 most important people in Republic City, including our beloved president and your lovely sister. If anyone so much as moves, we’ll shoot them all.

So, the show. Act one. This hat contains pieces of paper with the name of each audience member on them. These three men are holding guns loaded with terror darts. Chance decides who gets a dose of poison that will give them the most intense fifteen minutes of fear they have ever experienced. So, who will be our lucky three? Who in this room will know what it feels like to be powerless?”

The man made a show of shuffling through the hat and drew three pieces of paper. He unfurled them and read each one in turn. “Councilman Chung. Mister Shin. Lieutenant Lang.” The troops wielding dart guns swiveled to find their targets, then shot. The sound of three puffs of air was audible through the whole stadium. “Don’t worry, they’re sedated for now. They should wake up screaming shortly.”

Asami didn’t have enough to go on for a good strategy. The men were set up such that they couldn’t be caught, so it looked like the only thing to do was to watch the scene play out.

“Well, that was fun, wasn’t it?” the man asked the silent room. “Good. Now for act two. We’re going to play a little game, just like the games your criminals play with us every single day on the streets.”

The man pulled out a small handgun. He opened the cylinder and spun it, showing it was empty. Then he put in a single bullet, spun it, and closed it.

“Let’s see, we need a target.” The man walked to the front of the stage and paced back and forth. “Who shall I pick? Raiko? Miss Han? Mister—”

“Me,” Asami said, walking up to the stage. She didn’t have a plan, but she knew that she was the only person in the whole stadium that this man could not actually kill. At least, she hoped that was true.

“Ah, a volunteer. Ms. Sato. How…unexpected. But fitting. A mysterious and beautiful woman for a mysterious and beautiful experiment. Here’s to happy beginnings,” the man said with a smile and a wink that unnerved Asami. He reached down his hand and pulled her onto the stage. Asami noticed that even through the glove his hand was cold. “The rules of the game are chance decides, nothing more. One shot, one result. Now, this well might be our finale, so before things get too exciting let me leave you with this message. My name is Amon, and I speak on behalf of all of those in Republic City who live under your brutal, violent reign. We want control back, and if you don’t give it to us, _we will take it_.” Amon raised his gun and pointed it at Asami’s temple.

 

Korra tried to calm herself as she listened to Amon’s speech. She grew up being trained as a warrior in the Southern Water Tribe, and if there was one thing she had learned about crises it was to stay calm and look for an opening. That training had saved her life more than once, and she knew she could rely on it now.

As much as she didn’t want to sympathize with Amon, she understood the mess he was referring to. When she arrived in Republic City she had been full of hope. She wanted to find a place where people weren’t power hungry and violence didn’t reign, and where else but the city where all four nations come together? But the day she had landed she had gotten mugged and chased and lost almost everything she had. After that, she had spent her fair share of time in a Triple Threat fighting house, fighting for room and board while the gang members ran a betting ring to make money. She had seen some terrible things in that house and in that neighborhood. So while she now lived in a safe neighborhood a world away from the troubles he was talking about, she understood. But his answer—to add chaos to chaos in order to balance the scales—he was playing with people’s lives, and Korra couldn’t sympathize with that. Korra kept watching and thinking and looking for an opening.

When she heard Asami volunteer, her heart stopped. She saw Amon smile, and she couldn’t just watch. As Amon lifted his gun, Korra took two big strides from the side of the stage and dove into his side. She had relied on instinct instead of planning, but luck was on her side. His troops were faced away from her and didn’t have a chance to react. Amon fell to the floor, and his troops tensed, not sure what to do. He made a hand signal and the room filled with smoke and the sound of more explosions.

Korra had a good hold of Amon’s upper legs, but he wasn’t struggling. He took a second to catch his breath and then addressed the audience for the last time. “Goodbye for now, leaders of Republic City. But let this be your warning.” His voice echoed in the stadium and then he cut the speaker off. “No, don’t shoot her,” he said to someone that Korra couldn’t see. Then he looked down at her. “Very good, Korra.” _How does he know my name?_ “Now, this is for you,” he said, tucking the gun into her waistband with a free hand. “Sleep well. I’ll be in touch.” Someone kicked the back of Korra’s head hard, and she passed out.


	6. Chapter 6

Korra woke up with a throbbing headache. She opened her eyes slowly but didn’t know where she was. Her head was elevated. It was on someone’s lap. Someone had their hands in her hair. Korra put her hands up defensively and whipped around to see who it was only to fall to the floor with a thud. Her vision exploded in bright white and she felt an intense pressure in her head.

“Korra! Are you ok?” Someone crouched next to her. The voice sounded familiar. Asami. Asami was next to her. Asami had Korra’s head in her lap. Asami had her hands in Korra’s hair. _What is going on?_ Korra’s heart started to pound and she started gasping for air and shaking. Her vision began to clear and she saw Asami next to her with a very concerned look on her face.

“Korra, do you know where you are?”

“N-no.”

“Last night you got hurt at the circus and you didn’t want to be alone, so I brought you back to my place. You fell asleep on the couch so I stayed there with you, and you just woke up. We’re in my living room right now.” Asami had had enough panic attacks to know that Korra was on the verge of one right now. “Can we breathe together for a couple seconds? Ok, good. In and out, nice and slow.”

Asami’s voice was soft and soothing. Korra felt herself calming down a little. Slowly she remembered bits of last night. Amon, the circus. She had tackled him and been kicked in the head. Asami had been there when she came to, kneeling next to Korra with her hand on Korra’s cheek. Korra remembered tears streaming down her face and begging Asami not to leave her alone. That’s why she was here.

“Asami, I’m sorry, I—”

“Shh, take it easy. You have nothing to be sorry about.”

Korra suddenly felt exhausted. She let her eyes close. “Hey,” Asami said. “Why don’t we get you into a bed. There’s a guest room down the hall.”

Korra stayed silent. She didn’t want to be alone, but she also didn’t know what to say. She was good at taking care of people. She wasn’t good at being taken care of. Or rather, she didn’t let it happen. Those whole three years she had gone it on her own, and if she was being honest she was still doing the same thing. She didn’t know if she was more afraid of being alone or letting Asami take care of her. She could feel her heart starting to beat quickly again. She opened her eyes and looked at Asami.

“Why don’t we go to my room, ok?” Asami said, trying to read Korra’s face.  

“Ok.”

Asami helped Korra to her feet and walked her to her room. “Do you want a change of clothes?” Korra shook her head. She was too exhausted. “Ok, I’ll be right back.”

By the time Asami changed, Korra was already fast asleep in her bed. She turned off the light, got into the other side, and drifted off as well.

 

When Korra woke up, her head felt a lot better but her stomach was growling just like Naga’s did in the morning. _Shit, Naga!_ With all the commotion, Korra had forgotten about her dog. She felt terrible. _Naga must be so scared._ The dog hadn’t slept a night alone since Korra adopted her. Asami wasn’t in bed, so Korra took off running through the halls to find her. Not helpful that her friend lived in a literal mansion. She yelled out her friend’s name a few times, but nobody answered. After a while, she stumbled into the kitchen. Asami was drinking coffee and reading the paper with a serious look on her face.

“Oh, hey Korra. I didn’t realize you were up. How are you feeling?”

“Naga,” Korra panted.

“Bolin said he’d stay the night with her. He he had a key to your place, and we thought that’d be easier than trying to take care of the two of you at the same time.”

“Oh thank goodness. Ok. I’m feeling a lot better, but I’m starving,” Korra replied, scratching the back of her head with a sheepish smile.

Asami laughed. “Ok, Wan just went upstairs but when he comes back he can make us breakfast.”

“What? Let someone else make breakfast? No way, I’m making pancakes. You do like pancakes, right?”

“I can’t say I have them often, but I do love them.”

“Good. Breakfast first, and then we can deal with everything else. I can’t think on an empty stomach. Oh, and Asami,” Korra walked behind the woman’s chair, wrapped her arms around her, and held her for a second. “Thank you.”

Normally, Asami would have pushed away or stayed stiff, but the past 12 hours had been anything but normal and Korra had probably just saved her life, so Asami let herself relax into the other woman’s arms, noticing just how comfortable she felt there.

“Ok, but enough serious stuff for now,” Korra said letting go and grabbing the paper away from Asami. “You’re going to help me.”

 

It turned out that not only did Asami have no idea how to cook, she also didn’t know where anything was in her kitchen. Literally nothing. After fumbling around in the millions of drawers and cupboards— _seriously, who needs five different kinds of peelers?_ —Korra found everything she needed. She set Asami on cracking and separating the eggs, but Asami just stood there and examined the bowl for a while. “What?” Korra asked.

“I’m trying to figure out what angle will crack the shell most cleanly.”

Korra couldn’t contain her laughter. “Seriously?”

Asami scowled. “I don’t want gross egg shells in my pancakes!”

“Here.” Korra was still laughing, but she walked up behind Asami and put her hand over the hand holding the egg. “Most people tap it too softly because they’re afraid of cracking the shell into little pieces, but that actually makes it a lot worse. If you give it a firm tap like this instead,” Korra guided Asami’s hand to knock the egg against the bowl with some force, “then you’ll get a clean crack. See?” Korra asked pointing at the egg, which had one perfect crack about a third of the way around. “Now just separate it.”

Asami could feel Korra’s body up against hers and noticed how warm and strong her hand was. She blushed a little, thankful that Korra was behind her and couldn’t see. She had realized how attractive Korra was when she had first spotted her up against Mako—her dark skin slightly sweaty, her long, wild brown hair tied up messily, the outlines of her strong shoulders and back visible through her cut-off shirt—but she had thought it was more in a jealous way. Now she was starting to have her doubts. Korra, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to their position. She was still talking about eggs.

“And one day, maybe you’ll get really good like me,” Korra said, letting go of Asami’s hand and picking up a new egg and grinning, “and you’ll be able to do it one handed.” Korra cracked the egg against the bowl and separated it in one smooth motion with a single hand, letting the yolk fall into her other fingers and the white drip into the bowl. “That right there is talent,” she said taking a mock bow.

“Show off,” Asami said with a smile and shoved Korra’s arm with an eggy hand.

“Careful, you’re asking for a batter war,” Korra said with a threat in her eyes.

After some more cracking and whipping and joking around, and after a bit of batter may or may not have purposefully been aimed at Asami’s face, the two were sitting down eating a stack of the most delicious chocolate-chip pancakes Asami had ever had.

“Korra, these are incredible.”

“I know. I’m a woman of many talents.”

“And modest, too. Careful, I’m swooning,” Asami said theatrically, but she could swear she saw a hint of a blush on Korra’s cheeks. They ate in silence for a little while before Korra spoke.

“So about last night,” she started, immediately feeling the emotion well up inside her.

“Korra, you don’t have to say anything you don’t want to, ok?”

“I know, but I want to explain. When I was 19 my uncle had someone kidnap me. He was the chief of the Northern Water Tribe, and my dad was the chief of the Southern Water Tribe, and my uncle was trying to get leverage in a war he started. He thought he could force my dad to surrender if he threatened me, and he might have, but I managed to escape. I guess I got lucky.” Saying it was luck wasn’t entirely true, but it wasn’t entirely a lie either. This was the first time she had told anyone who wasn’t her family about this, though, and she wasn’t ready to let out all of her secrets. She paused for a little while, but Asami didn’t interrupt. “My uncle got me by having one of his soldiers to pose as a newcomer to town. He asked me on a date and I said yes, and the next thing I knew I was holed away in a small room for a week.”

“Korra, I’m so sorry,” Asami said, taking Korra’s hand in hers.

“It’s ok. It’s been a long time since then. I just haven’t really talked about it. I kind of ran away after and…well, anyway, it’s made it sort of hard to let people get close. So when I didn’t know where I was and found myself in a vulnerable position with someone else, I think I just freaked out, especially after the whole being held hostage at the circus thing.”

“I had no idea. Thank you for telling me,” Asami said, looking into Korra’s eyes.

Tears began to crowd Korra’s vision, but she didn’t want to cry in front of Asami. She had learned to be ok by being alone and strong, not by leaning on other people. After a long time, she had finally gotten to a point where she could get close to other people, but when she did, it was by understanding them, not the other way around. Korra wasn’t sure that she could handle a friend that she leaned on so much. It was well and good to share a little about herself when she wasn’t hurting, but she felt like she was losing control. She was afraid that if she went back over it all with someone else, everything would go to pieces. She needed to be alone and put things together before that happened. “I think I should go,” she said. “I need to take care of Naga.”

Asami knew what Korra was thinking because she was the same way. Korra had seemed like she had it all together—she was patient and kind and understanding when it came to dealing with Asami—but when Asami thought back to it, Korra had shared hardly anything about herself. If she ran away, she must have recovered from all of this on her own, hardening the places that she had been hurt and not letting anyone in close enough to surprise her. That’s how Korra knew how to make Asami feel so at ease. She understood. And now, it seemed like sharing had shaken Korra up more than she expected.

“No, Korra, don’t run away,” Asami said, looking into blue eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you. You can trust me.”

Korra couldn’t hold it back anymore. She started to cry like she hadn’t in years. Her whole body shook as the tears fell. She felt like everything was draining out of her. Asami led her to a couch and made her sit between her legs. She wrapped her arms around Korra and pulled her so that the woman was leaning against her. “I’ve got you,” she whispered into Korra’s ear, then tucked her chin over Korra’s head and held her tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't worry, the gun will be explained soon enough!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for sticking with this. Looks like we're in for a wild ride... Let me know what you think!

The past two hours of holding Korra were the most peaceful moments Asami had had for weeks. After Korra cried herself out, they sat in silence, Asami running her hands idly along Korra’s arms and Korra resting with her eyes closed. There was a lot Asami would have to do in the day, but for some reason when she was holding Korra it all seemed far off. After a while, though, her thoughts returned to work and she decided it was time to go.

“Hey,” she said, gently nudging Korra.

“Mm?” the woman asked sleepily.

“I have to go to work soon. I called off for the morning, but there will be all kinds of fires to put out this afternoon.”

Korra’s emotions had settled and as she came to she began to feel self-conscious about how much she had opened up to the other woman. She shifted out of her arms and sat up next to her. “Oh, you should have said something. I’m sorry I kept you.”

“You didn’t. I wanted to be here with you,” she said, looking into Korra’s eyes seriously. “But I do have to go soon and before I do there’s something you should see.” Asami went to another room and came back after a few minutes holding a gun. The sight of the cold metal sent shivers through Korra’s body. She had seen and held a lot of guns, but she didn’t like them. “When you passed out, you had this tucked in your pants. It looked like someone put it there. I hid it before anyone came to check on you and haven’t had time to look it over. You should take it with you.”

Korra remembered the moments just before she passed out. Amon had tucked that gun in her pants, and he had known her name. _“I’ll be in touch.”_ Korra remembered the sound of his voice and felt nauseous.

“Hey, we’ll figure it out, ok?” Asami said, seeing the change in Korra’s face. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride back to your place. And I’ll stop by tonight after work. I’m sure we’ll both have a lot to talk about.”

 

* * *

 

After returning Naga’s enthusiastic greeting at the door, Korra went inside her apartment to find Bolin sleeping in her bed. She sat on her couch and pulled out the gun. It was small, but it could kill. Korra flipped open the cylinder to take out the bullet, but there wasn’t one inside. She spun the cylinder around and spotted a small white loop of paper tucked into one of the holes. Korra shook the gun and it fell out. _The docks, 7pm._

Korra didn’t understand. She had seen Amon put a bullet in the gun. He hadn’t shot it or had a chance to slip anything out, and Asami said she hadn’t touched it either. Korra ran the scene over in her head. She saw Amon holding a small bullet and slipping it into the gun. She realized that he was far enough away that it was hard to see what he was doing. The suggestion had been enough to convince everyone that a bullet had gone in. But with a small slight of hand, he easily could have placed a piece of paper in its stead. Korra was shocked. For all his appearances, he wasn’t planning on killing anyone that night. It was about the illusion.

And then he gave her the gun. He must have wanted her to know. But why her? There was nothing special about her, unless he knew…no, there was no way. Not here. And even if he did, it wouldn’t explain why he needed her. Korra’s head still hurt. She had a while until seven, but she had a big decision to make. _Am I really thinking of having a private meeting with a terrorist?_ Korra felt rawer than she had for years. But she also felt like, for whatever reason, she was in a position to do something, and that was hard to ignore. She didn’t know what to think. Things kept getting turned upside down, and it was all happening so quickly. It was chaos, and it didn’t seem like regular rules applied.

 

* * *

 

Asami had entered the office ready to work, but instead her assistant had given her a message. Kuvira wanted to meet alone, and of all places in an old warehouse in a part of the city run by the Agni Kais. _Great._ If most anyone else had asked for a meeting like this, she would have ignored it, but she felt like she didn’t have that luxury with Kuvira. Not after she had been lurking around for the past couple weeks. Asami pulled her gun out of her desk drawer. She had heard rumors about Kuvira, and she wasn’t one to be unprepared. She always hated weapons, but her father had ensured that she spent almost all of her free time when she was young either engineering or learning to fight. She finally understood why.

She had a couple of guards drive her to the warehouse and wait outside. Since she started running Future Industries, it felt like she was a bigger part of this violent city than she wanted to be. She had learned that the company had a huge number of guards on its payroll to watch the factories and high-level employees. At least, she hoped that that was all they had been doing. Now, she could hardly move without a set of eyes on her. Even when she wanted to bike to Korra’s, she had to have someone follow her in a car. Until last night, it had all felt unnecessary, but she was starting to understand how this city really worked.

Asami had to put a shoulder to the door to get it open. She brushed the dust off her jacket and walked inside. The lights were out except for one in a corner. _Seriously? I’m not a goddamn gang banger. We couldn’t meet in an office?_ But Asami understood why she was here. Intimidation. Kuvira wanted to throw her off her guard and show her that she meant business, and for that no ordinary workspace would do. Asami took note.

“So you accepted my invitation?” Kuvira stepped into the light from behind a concrete pillar.

“I know when my hand is being forced,” Asami replied. Kuvira was a tactician. Asami always recognized one of her own and knew to proceed carefully. She had the feeling that what happened here could make or break her company.

“Good,” Kuvira said curtly. “I’m not one for pleasantries either, so let’s cut to it. I have leads tying your father to Amon’s terrorist group. Everyone suspects it, but nobody can prove it except me. Right now, your father’s name is still synonymous with Future Industries, so that kind of press would crush your company no matter how you played it.” Kuvira was smiling, clearly trying to rile Asami up. Asami did her best to keep her face neutral and stay calm.

“I have two options as what I do with those leads. I can write the article now and take you out of the game—one less moving part to deal with, and a shiny trophy for my case—or I can leverage my leads while I have the head start, figure who Amon is, and take _him_ down. The benefit is that he’s a bigger fish. The more chaos he causes for Republic City, the better I look as its savior.”

“A savior?” Asami interrupted. “So you want control of the city. I get it. Write a few well-placed articles, take down the ‘bad guys.’ Clean up the mess, and then run for president as, what, the people’s candidate?” Asami scoffed. “You’re just like the rest of them. You thrive on violence and intimidation. Violence to end violence is still violence, Kuvira. This city doesn’t need you.”

“Don’t be naïve, Asami.” Kuvira paused. “‘There is no sun without shadow, and it is essential to know the night.’ Do you know that quote?” Kuvira didn’t wait for an answer. “Unlike you, I wasn’t raised on the laurels of my father. I built myself. I know this city. I know what it takes. You’re hardly in a position to judge. Anyway, I didn’t expect you to be a serious threat, but you’ve proven to be a wildcard. You seem intent on rearing your head. So the drawback of waiting and tackling Amon is that I have to let you live and you will get stronger. So here’s how it goes: for now, your company sees another day. But you so much as lift the wrong finger and you’re gone. I’m telling you now, don’t fuck with me, Asami.”

Asami snapped. She had enough of people thinking she was daddy’s little girl, and she was tired of people trying to control her. She was in charge, and it was time people understood that. She closed the gap in front of her grabbed Kuvira by the collar. “No, Kuvira, let _me_ tell _you_ how this goes. If I find you poking around Future Industries, I will dig up every secret of yours and destroy you. You might be convincing, but I have more money and power than you could dream of and I will not hesitate to use it against you. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re the only one with sources around here,” she said, pushing Kuvira away from her but not dropping her piercing stare.

Kuvira started laughing, unfazed. “Congratulations, Asami,” she said. “You just made your first enemy. Now you’re a real Republic City businesswoman.” She turned and left through the back door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The quote is from the Myth of Sisyphus. I took it out of context but it fit so perfectly I'm ok with it.


	8. Chapter 8

Asami walked back into her office feeling drained. Kuvira was right: she was just like the rest of them. It had only taken a few words to rile her up into acting the part of a proper Republic City CEO, making threats and wielding her power without a second thought. _Where did that come from?_ It was like there was violence right under the surface waiting to come out.

Asami shook her head. When she originally took over Future Industries, she had a vision of revolutionizing the company. She was full of ideas for new products, fields they could expand into, and ways they could improve what they were already doing. She wanted to make life better for her employees and make changes to the city that would help people. What she hadn’t realized was how much of running the business happened in backrooms just like the one she had left. Future Industries was much closer to the underbelly of Republic City than Asami thought, and that had been the thing she most wanted to avoid.

She turned her thoughts to the rest of what Kuvira had said. _No sun without shadow._ Asami didn’t want to believe that that was true, but she saw what she had resorted to when her company was threatened. She felt that with her company she could do good, and she wanted to keep what she loved safe. Maybe she wasn’t so different from Kuvira, after all. Asami shuddered. Anger had twisted her father from a passionate engineer into a tyrant. She didn’t want to follow in his footsteps.

Asami turned to the papers in front of her. If there was one thing Kuvira was right about it was that she wasn’t going to keep her head down. What she had to figure out was exactly what she intended to do.

 

* * *

 

Korra got off her bike at the docks, but she didn’t lock it up. The docks weren’t triad territory, but they weren’t the safest part of town, either. She felt better having a way to move quickly if she needed to. She looked around. The sun was setting, leaving thick pink and orange streaks over the dark blue bay. Nobody was in sight, so she waited.

Korra was anxious but not afraid. Amon had the opportunity to kill or kidnap her already, so she wasn’t worried about meeting him alone. But that didn’t make her feel better about what he wanted from her. She wished she had an edge on him, or at least knew who she was up against. It had been a long time since she had to think in this way, wieighing people’s motives and foreseeing their next steps. It hadn’t been Korra’s strong suit when she trained in the Water Tribe. She relied on instinct, which was good in this case because it was about all she had to go on.

Korra spotted someone walking toward her. He was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans and had short, black hair. He seemed fit, but not excessively muscular, and he walked in a way that seemed to expend no unneeded energy. As he got closer, he greeted her, and she recognized the voice immediately. She was surprised Amon had come in plain clothes with his face completely visible. “No need for a disguise tonight, if that’s what you’re wondering,” he said. “Take a good look at my face. I want you to know who I am.” Korra had already placed the dark skin, blue eyes, and sharp features, and he saw her brow set. “That’s right, Water Tribe, just like you. My parents immigrated here before I was born, but I still know enough people back there that the information I need makes its way to me sooner or later.”

Korra’s heart began to pound. There were only a handful of people in the world that knew she was a water bender. Her parents made her swear to tell no one. Her uncle’s ignorance of her ability had let her use bending to escape, but it had cost her her secret. And now, it looked like word had spread.

Myth had it that there was a time when benders were common, but now they were exceptionally rare, so much so that most people wrote off the idea as a fairytale, especially here in Republic City. The rarity became was their strength. Whatever benders existed—Korra assumed there had to be more than just her—could be fairly certain that they wouldn’t face someone who could counter them. That’s why her parents swore her to secrecy; they were afraid that if anyone found out they would use Korra, with or against her will. _So Amon wants to use me._ Korra was tense, but she also realized that if Amon knew about her and selected the docks as their meeting place, it was a gesture of truce. He might as well have handed her a loaded machine gun. “You know I’m a bender.”

“That’s right. We’ll get to that soon. First, let’s walk. I want to tell you a story.” The two headed down the nearest pier. “When my father came here from the Water Tribe, he started a small fishing business. He got lucky, and the business took off. But he didn’t come here to fish or start a large company. He came for the dream that Republic City offered everyone: a place of peace. When he saw the reality, he decided to do everything he could to achieve that dream.

Once he had enough money, he ran for office. He was charismatic and spoke of real change. People loved him, which quickly made him an enemy of the triads. They made his life difficult, setting a few of his boats on fire, breaking into his company, and smashing windows, but he refused to step down. After a few years of unheeded threats and successful campaigns, they shot him.

At that time, I was nineteen. After the story was printed in the papers, Hiroshi contacted me. He gave me a job in one of his factories and kept an eye on me. As time passed, I thought more and more about my father’s death, and I think he could see it. He started talking to me about his plans, and eventually we became partners.

Hiroshi wasn’t always the man that he ended up as. At that time, we were fueled by hatred, but we also had a vision of a more equal world. We were trying to achieve something better, not just destroy what existed. But as time went on, he became increasingly obsessed with revenge. He slowly lost sight of everything but the ruthless desire to kill every last triad member. And his daughter—his love for her just disappeared. She used to be his world, but by the end, she, too, was merely a pawn.”

Korra’s stomach dropped thinking of Asami, but she tried to stay focused as Amon went on.

“Watching Hiroshi become consumed by hatred changed my view of things. I realized that there are no good and bad people; there are merely people influenced by circumstances. As I began to understand that, I decided that what I wanted most wasn’t the revenge Hiroshi sought. It was change. And I realized that change would not come by destroying the triads. They would simply be replaced by the next most powerful group.

The violence and the revenge, those were stories that needed to be told. I’m after a more equal world, Korra, and to get there I need to change the rules of the game. That’s part of what I was doing at the circus. Creating a force that won’t abide by their laws. That’s something they can fear. But fear alone is not enough. I need them to feel like they’re up against something that they have no chance against.”

Korra tried to process everything Amon was saying quickly enough to respond. “So you want to use me as a weapon?”

“No,” Amon replied. “Quite the opposite. I don’t want to kill anyone anymore. I gave you that gun because I needed you to understand that. I just need to put on a good show. Benders are so rare that they’ve become myth. Nobody would know what to make of one in real life. You are like the gun on stage. Unpredictable and devastatingly powerful. You have the chance to change things in a big way, Korra. Together we could force their hand and change this city without much damage at all.”

Korra’s mind was spinning, but Amon continued. “I know it’s a lot to take in. I want you to think about it. I’ll be in touch again soon. But in the meantime, Korra,” he paused. “Sometimes secrets are necessary. The work is dangerous, and the fewer people who know the fewer people those in power have incentive to harm. Keep that in mind.”

 

* * *

 

Korra had spent the past couple of hours thinking about what Amon had said, and it scared her that she didn’t feel like immediately writing him off. She had been devastated when she got to Republic City and realized that it was just was violent as everywhere else. At that point she had been hurting, and she only felt disillusioned. And her time in the fighting house only made her feel more that way. Now that she was out, avoiding the dark side of Republic City kept her safe, but she never forgot what it was like.

What Amon was saying actually gave her hope. Maybe there was a way to change thecity. Maybe it could be a place without the kind of violence that she had seen all too much of. That was something worth fighting for. And Amon thought they could get there without bloodshed, especially if she would help.

She thought about what she knew about the triads. She agreed that just removing them wouldn’t be a solution; there was always someone to pick up when someone else got taken out. She figured it must be the same way with the politicians. So changing the rules of the game—that made sense. But she couldn’t believe she was actually thinking of working with a terrorist. As a terrorist.

Korra heard Asami’s car pull up. She was glad Bolin had made her agree to bring Asami out to get drinks with him. She had gone in circles for the past couple hours, and she was done thinking for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next one might take me a couple days, but it'll be up soon!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took longer than usual. I'm not sure how often I'll update, but if I figure it out I'll let you know. :)
> 
> Meanwhile, tell me what you think!

Asami sat next to Korra in the car as her driver took them to the bar. She had wanted to discuss Kuvira and Amon and her company and the city and basically everything from the past 24 hours, but Korra had stopped her mid sentence and insisted they go out. _You work way too much. You have to live a little, too._ That’s what Korra had said before grabbing her by the hand and dragging her right back out the door she entered and into her car.

Normally, Asami would have opposed anything that took her away from work at a moment like this, but with Korra she didn’t mind. She hadn’t been sure how to handle Korra after spending the day apart. The two had gotten close quickly, and Asami wasn’t sure how much of their intimacy had to do with the circumstances and whether any of it would last. She hoped it would; she felt comfortable with Korra in a way that she had a hard time feeling with others.

When they got to the bar, Asami made her driver stay outside. She had had enough of being watched closely all day, and she felt safe around Korra. The two found Bolin at a table and walked over to him. After hugs and greetings, they sat down.

“I was thinking of inviting Mako,” Bolin said.

“It’s too bad you didn’t. I’d like to see him under…better circumstances. I had been wanting to meet him for a while,” Korra said.

“Yeah, it wouldn’t be the worst to get to talk a little,” Asami said.

“Glad you think that, because I thought about it and then I did,” Bolin said with a nervous smile and thumbs up. “He’s in the bathroom.”

“Bo, who are—oh.” Mako walked up to the table. “My little bro here forgot to mention that we’d have company.”

“Come on, guys,” Bolin said, putting an arm each around Asami and Mako. “It’s good to have everyone together. We’re like a little crew. A gang. A rat pack.”

“You keep thinking on those names, Bo,” Korra said, laughing.

Asami stuck her hand out to Mako. “How about no hard feelings? We could talk it over, but honestly I’m exhausted and the world’s a little too chaotic for our relationship drama.”

Mako shook it. “Sounds good to me.” He turned to Korra, seeming to just have registered who else was at the table. “You two know each other?”

“Long story,” Asami answered.

“She hit me with her car.”

“More like you got yourself hit by my car,” Asami said smiling and nudging her shoulder against Korra’s.

“Whatever,” Korra said, unable to contain a smile back. “Point is that it was the beginning of something beautiful,” she said, holding her hands together at her chest and batting her eyelids.

“Are you mocking me?” Bolin asked.

“Never!” Korra said, jumping up to escape Bolin and get drinks.

“Korra!” Bolin yelled after her before he left the table to chase her down and get her in a bear hug.

Mako stared at Asami. He didn’t know what to make of the fact that his ex-girlfriend and the woman she caught him making out with the night they broke up were now acting like good friends. “So, uh, I guess it’s nice that you both get along.”

Asami laughed. She forgot how awkward Mako could be. “It’s been a strange week.”

The crew hung out at the bar and caught up for a while. They talked about a bit of everything, touching on the circus only enough to make sure everyone was ok. After a couple hours, Bolin and Mako decided to head out for the night. “You two coming with?” Mako asked.

Asami looked at Korra, then replied. “No, I think we’ll hang out for a little while longer.”

“Ok, but you have to promise that I’m going to see you before the end of the week,” Bolin said, hugging Korra and Asami while Mako stood to the side. They promised, and he stepped back. Every paused for a second, waiting.

“It was good to see you both,” Mako said formally, sticking his hand out for a handshake.

“Oh come on,” Korra said, pulling him into a hug. Mako blushed at the contact and patted her stiffly on the back.

“So am I getting the handshake, then?” Asami said with an eyebrow raised.

Mako blushed harder and gave her a quick hug.

“Alright, I’m going to take him out of here before he burns his face off. See you soon!” Bolin called, putting his arm around his brother’s shoulders and walking him out of the bar.

Asami sat back down next to Korra. “Not ready to leave yet?”

“No, I want to have some more fun,” Korra responded.

“Oh, I’ve seen what happens when you have fun. I’m not sure I’m ready to see you pushed up against another one of my exes,” Asami said, her tone teasing but lighthearted. “Though, the rest are all women, so I might be safe.”

Korra choked on her cactus juice.

“You alright there?” Asami asked coolly. She could tell she was flustering Korra, and she was definitely enjoying it.

“Ah yeah, sorry,” Korra said, still coughing. Asami laughed.

“I’m just kidding. Fun sounds nice. But before we let too loose, I did want to talk to you about something.” Korra’s heart pounded. “I know you said you didn’t want to think any more tonight, but I met Kuvira today and I can’t stop thinking about it.” Not exactly where Korra thought she was going to go, but she was listening. “She thinks she’s the city’s savior, but she’s just like the rest of them: she’s violent, thrives off of intimidation, will do anything that it takes to get what she wants. She thinks that’s how things work and that you have to understand that and work with it to do good. When I talked to her, I told her she was wrong, and then I found myself doing the exact same thing. I threatened her to keep my company safe, and I keep going over it but it feels like I didn’t have another option. It makes me think that I can’t judge her. Maybe she’s right.”

Korra thought about it for a little while before responding. “I’ve been thinking about this too,” she started off a little tentatively, but Asami was looking at her seriously, paying close attention to every word she said. Before that might have made Korra nervous, but now it encouraged her. “I mean, not exactly this, but something similar. It’s about Amon’s speech at the circus. It made me think that maybe the world does need something totally different. Maybe people do what they know. Not that it’s how we are but that it’s all we know we _can_ do. Maybe what we need is something to show people that other things are possible, to really force them to see that.”

“You know, you’re really wise,” Asami said. Korra was giving her a lot to think about.

Korra smiled shyly. “Thanks,” she said, and the two sat for a while as Asami thought. Eventually, Korra ran out of patience. “Can we go back to having fun now?”

“Yeah,” Asami smiled back and put her arm around Korra fondly. “Sounds good.”

 

The two women spent the next hour talking, drinking, and laughing. Asami was relieved that the conversation between them felt as easy as it had before. Korra had even asked her to dance. Asami normally liked to dance. She knew how to be sexy at a club or do a ballroom waltz. But what she didn’t know how to do was bounce around an empty dance floor and shake her body like there was no tomorrow, and it turned out that that was exactly what Korra had in mind.

“Come on, Asami, you have to let _loose_ ,” she said, hopping around in front of the other woman.  

“I am loose,” Asami said, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

“If that’s loose, I’m worried about you.” Korra grabbed her hands and starting twisting her around while shaking her own head so hard her hair was flying everywhere. “Do it like this. Let out all of that stress!” Korra let go of her hands and started leaping and jumping around the floor. “It’s the most fun when it’s empty. You can do anything you want.”

“I like having rules.”

“You’re such a square,” Korra said, laughing when she saw that Asami hadn’t moved from her spot on the dance floor. Korra went back to her and started moving her around again. This time, Asami followed more readily. She had to admit it was fun, and she liked having Korra there to guide her. They danced like that until Asami was shaking her head just like Korra and the two were exhausted.

“Alright, I have a bit of a headache now. I think it might be time to stop,” Korra said.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, just got a little overeager considering yesterday. But I’ll be fine.” The two walked off the dance floor. Asami put her hands on the front and back of Korra’s head and held them there for a second. Korra slipped her into a hug. “This was fun.”

“It was,” Asami agreed, nodding against her shoulder. The women parted.

“I guess it’s time to go now, huh?” Korra asked.

“Yeah, I have an early morning. I should have been in bed a while ago.” The two lingered, neither wanting to leave just yet.

“Do you, um, do you think we could spend the night together again?” Korra asked.

“Tonight?”

Korra blushed. “Yeah, I don’t know, I just don’t really want to leave you yet. It’s totally ok if you’d rather be alone, though.”

Asami was struck by how honest Korra could be about what she wanted. “No, that sounds nice,” she said. “My place or yours?”

“Well, I have to get back to Naga tonight, so mine would be best.”

Asami slipped her arm through Korra’s. “Ok, let’s go.”

 

During the car ride, Asami thought of every way she could imagine to clarify exactly what Korra meant by spend the night. She couldn’t tell if she meant sleep in the same bed or be in the same place, and every attempt at clarification that she had come up with so far was terribly awkward. Asami leaned her head back and sighed. Korra took the opportunity to rest her head against Asami’s shoulder and fall asleep.

When they got to Korra’s apartment, she woke the other woman up and the two walked inside, where an overly enthusiastic Naga almost knocked Korra over. “I gotta take her out really quick. Be right back,” Korra said sleepily. Asami walked over to the couch and sat down. She took off her shoes and got comfortable. _I guess couch it is._ “Hey,” Korra said as she came back in. She sat down next to Asami and took her hand, tracing her finger inside Asami’s palm. She didn’t say anything for a little while. “Do I get to sleep next to you even when I’m not hurt?”

Asami’s heart skipped. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Good,” Korra said with a smile. “Forewarning, I’ve become a cuddler since I got Naga.”

“I noticed,” Asami said with a blush.


	10. Chapter 10

Korra woke up to Naga barking and someone pounding against her door. “One second,” she called, rolling out of bed to see who it was. As she passed her kitchen, she saw a note on the counter from Asami. _Thanks for yesterday. I needed it. See you soon. –a._ Her handwriting was small and compact, and the words were written in thin red ink. The note looked rushed but precise. Korra pocketed it. It felt good to have something to hold onto. Someone was still banging at the door when Korra opened it.

“Korra!” Bolin gasped. “You, sleep, rock, Varrick, paper, circus, over.” Bolin was gesturing wildly with his hands trying to convey what was apparently some kind of big news. Naga kept barking to get his attention.

“Naga, shh.” The dog quieted down but kept pawing Bolin, tail wagging. “Bolin, I have no idea what you’re trying to say.”

“Here,” he said, handing her the newspaper he had been flapping around.

A large picture of Varrick poking his finger at a policeman’s chest with a scowl on his face spanned the front cover. Above it was a headline reading, “Circus Continues: Varrick Industries Suspected of Terrorist Dealings.” Korra scanned the article and found what Bolin was talking about. The circus had been suspended indefinitely until the police finished their investigation. Korra’s heart sunk. She had been looking forward to getting back to performing this weekend; now it looked like she might be out of a job.

“I came here as soon as I found out. Varrick and Suyin want us to meet at the stadium in a couple hours,” Bolin said, having apparently calmed down enough to make full sentences.

“Wow. Ok.” The news sunk in. _Varrick working with Amon? Was the whole circus a set-up?_ _Why didn’t Amon said anything?_ Korra hated the feeling of having to sit in all this uncertainty. She wanted to be able to do something, but it seemed like all she could do was hear what Varrick had to say _._ “Have you eaten?” she asked Bolin.

“I can always eat more.”

“Ok. Let’s get some lunch and then go.”

 

“You think they’ll really close down the circus?” Korra asked Bolin after slurping up some noodles. The two had gone to Narook’s, their favorite lunch spot.

“I don’t know. It feels like anything could happen. It reminds me of what it used to feel like when Mako and I lived on the streets in the Flats. Like the world is spinning around you and you want it stop but you’re too small to do anything.”

“You lived in the Flats?”

“Yeah, for a while. We don’t talk about it much because you don’t want the wrong news getting to the wrong people. We were kind of mixed up in a bad crowd.”

“One of the gangs?”

“The Triple Threats. It’s how I met Varrick for the first time.”

“No.” Korra pulled Bolin’s shoulder toward her and lifted the top of his shirt so she could see his tattoo again. She hadn’t thought anything of it before, but now she could make out where the symbol would be underneath the work he had done to cover it up. Korra had thought that the people she met after she left the fighting house were separate from the dark parts of this city, but the more she learned the more it seemed that everything here was connected. “I spent some time in one of their fighting houses,” Korra admitted.

Bolin shook his head. “Nobody escapes.”

They sat in silence for a while before Korra spoke again. “Do you really think Varrick is working with Amon?”

“No, I don’t. He’s unpredictable, but he has too much invested in the gangs.”

“The more I learn the more it feels like they run the whole city.”

“The big guys like Varrick have their fingers in everything here. The safe parts of the city don’t get touched by the gangs, but they get run in other ways. The circus, the gangs, the elections. It’s all the same. We can pretend it’s not when we’re living on this side of things, but it is.” Korra had never seen Bolin so serious.

“So what do you think about Amon?”

“I don’t know. I’ve seen a lot around here. Mako and I got by for a long time by keeping our heads down. The city could use some change, but I’m not sure if the whole flash bang routine is going to work. The gangs are tough, and the politicians are worse. It’s going to take a lot more than a few guns to scare them off.”

“Yeah,” Korra said. “I guess it would.”

 

Varrick had everyone meet on the stadium stage. He joined ten minutes late, walking casually into the center of the crowd of performers and stage technicians and expecting them to give way. Varrick was nothing if not a showman, and people responded to it. When he had some space, he started his speech. “Zhu Li, the thing,” he said to his assistant, who handed him a flower with thin white petals and arching purple stripes. “This,” Varrick said, holding the flower in front of him and spinning in a circle, “is us. We are a delicate thing of beauty and sincerity in the midst of this increasingly corrupt city. I’m part of the corruption. We all are. Don’t kid yourself for a second that you’re not. One way or another you are. The important part is how.

I can tell you for certain that I am not in any way involved in these terrorist dealings. Not my style. And I can also tell you for certain that it doesn’t matter. This investigation has nothing to do with that. It’s politics. Amon made this flower the locus of the city. He made everyone look long and hard and see it for what it is. And people can’t stand to look at something like this because when they do they become more aware of how unnatural it seems to them. They realize what their every day looks like in comparison, and they want to destroy it so they can keep living in peace, so that there are no more reminders of what could be and what isn’t.

I am going to fight this closure, but I need you to stick with me. I’ll pay you while it’s closed, but I need you to be ready to come back as soon as it’s up. Deal?” Everyone stayed silent. “Great! Because the police will be here any second. They’re going to want to interrogate all of you. I on the other hand have places to be! Zhu Li!” Varrick disappeared through the trap door as the cops entered the stadium.

 

“Su.”

“Lin.” The sisters exchanged curt greetings as the chief of police walked into the stadium.

“So someone finally caught you in the act, and even sweeter it was your daughter,” Lin said with a threat in her eyes.

Suyin met it with steel. “You know I haven’t spoken to Kuvira for years.”

“Well you weren’t any less involved in the black market then, so I’m assuming she has plenty to go on.”

“Is that a formal charge, or am I free to walk?”

“Be my guest. I’ll be coming after you soon enough,” Lin said, walking to Korra.

“Korra, right?”

Korra nodded.

“You first. You got the closest to Amon out of anyone. Come over here.” Lin took her by the arm and led her to one of the side rooms in the back.

“This is Aiwei, our interrogation specialist. We call him the truth seer. He can smell a lie a mile off, so don’t get any ideas, kid. I’ll be back in a few.”

“Hello, Korra,” the man said in a surprisingly gentle voice. “Let’s start things off easy. No need for alarm.” Korra could feel herself sweating. As part of her training growing up, she spent years learning to meditate in order to be able to control her heartbeat and voice in interrogation, but she had never had to put the training to a test. She began to clear her mind. “Let’s start with your name.”

“Korra,” she said, focusing on her breath.

“Good. And where are you from?”

“The Southern Water Tribe.” Korra pushed back the thoughts that flooded her when she thought of home.

“See, this isn’t so hard. And what do you do for Varrick?”

“I’m a performer.”

“That’s all?”

“What are you insinuating?” Korra said, feeling anger at the reaches of her mind. She could tell Aiwei was using the loose wording to provoke her. 

“Varrick has his hands in a bit of everything,” Aiwei backtracked. “We’ve been trying to book him for organized crime for years. He never has you run any kind of ‘errands?’”

“No.” Korra kept breathing.

“Good. And how about Amon?”

“How about him?” Here was the test.

“Was the first time you met him on stage?”

“Yes.”

“And have you met him since?”

“No,” Korra lied.

Aiwei paused, but Korra stayed silent and kept her focus on her breath.

“Not bad, Korra. A nearly imperceptible lie. If I weren’t the best, you’d have had me. When did you see him?”

“I didn’t.” _It could still be routine. He might not know I’m lying._

“You know the penalties for lying to law enforcement?”

“Yes.”

Aiwei paused again. “Then it seems you’ve made your decision. Welcome to the team, Korra,” he said smiling. “Amon wanted me to give you this.” He pushed a small note across the table.

Korra didn’t respond. _He might still be trying to work me._

“Ah, right. I might still be a cop trying to trick you. Let’s see. I know you met Amon on the docks, and I know you’re a water bender. Good enough?”

Korra nodded.

“Good. Now, we have a short while until Lin checks in on us, and Amon told me to answer any questions you have.”

There would be time to process later. For now, Korra was ready. “We change the rules of the game, then what happens?” she asked.

“Ideas don’t stick until the climate exists for them to stick. So we make things more extreme. We make them chaotic. People see the situation for what it is. The ideas threaten to sink in. People fight it. Change isn’t easy. The kind of truth we want them to understand requires a rewriting of how they see themselves. That takes serious work, and it goes against what these people do in order to exist, which is maintain the status quo. So we need to push. We need them to have no other choice but to listen and absorb.”

“So Varrick is involved?”

“Everyone is involved in one way or another, Korra.”

“And you need me for the push.”

“Yes. And when we’re done, the ideas will stick because they’ll have no other option. Circumstances change, people change. People change, the world changes. It’s simple, really. ”

“Now what?”

“Now the show begins.”

“And—”

Korra heard the door and snuck the note into her pocket, snug against the one from Asami.

“Done?” the police chief asked.

“Yes, chief,” Aiwei responded. “Nothing helpful from this one.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, sorry I let this go. My girlfriend broke up with me and this was kind of our thing, so...yeah. But I'm back now, and I really want to finish this. Thanks for sticking with me.

Asami sketched absentmindedly as she sat at the bar window. It had been a good day at work, but she was going to need a lot more of those to get Future Industries back on track. For now, though, she gave herself permission to clock out of work and think about the city. She looked down at the paper in front of her: a rough sketch of Amon, a few triad members, Kuvira, and the darker parts of the Dragon Flats filled the page. _What does this city need?_

Asami thought back to when her father was trying to set up Future Industries. The triads working for Cabbage Corps would come through and burn down his office now and again, flexing their muscles and making their threats. Her father couldn’t defend himself, but he refused to back down. He threw himself into Future Industries, and they took it a step further.

Asami remembered her mother whispering for her to hide when they were working on an engine design in the workshop. She heard the whole thing happen: footsteps of men running in, the crash of glass as they banged up the prototypes, a scream, a thunk, footsteps again. Nobody investigated her mother’s death. No resources, no protection. She had felt helpless—that’s what you felt if you were facing the triads.

Asami found herself sketching out triad territory. It had been a long time since she had been at their mercy, and she didn’t know much about the gangs or the people they controlled. That was her starting point. She rolled up her paper, stuck it in her pack, and headed out the door.

 

Asami’s Satocycle hummed under her as she rode home. She pushed the engine to go a little faster, watching the buildings blur past her. She loved the feeling of riding at night, having the streets mostly to herself and feeling the cool air pushing against her. The lights in front of her changed: green as far as she could see. She smiled and pushed the engine a little more before something struck her. She had seen the timing pattern of lights on this street; they never lined up. Something wasn’t right. Asami looked to the next light and caught a glimpse of the light from the road perpendicular to her: green. Headlights. _Shit._ Asami locked her rear brake and swung her bike to the side. She skidded to the ground, and a split second later she heard a crash. Asami felt pain shoot up her leg and pulse in her hand. She looked down to find her hand chewed up by the pavement. She rolled her foot around. Either a sprain or a break. Lucky.

She rolled to get a view of the crash. Two crumpled Satomobiles, one that she had passed just seconds ago. Everything was strangely quiet, except for the sound of running water. Fuel, not water. _Shit, shit, shit._ Asami pushed up to her feet, ignoring the stinging pain. Someone rolled out of one of the Satomobiles, seemingly able to walk. “Run,” Asami yelled, as she raced to the other car. The man heeded her warning and stumbled away. Asami looked inside and saw just the driver, but she looked unconscious. Asami pulled at the door, but it was seized shut. She looked around, but there was nothing to help her. She pulled off her jacked and wrapped it over her good hand before punching through the window. She cleared out as much glass as she could and reach in to unbuckle the woman. Asami was aware that the fuel could catch at any time. She heard sirens in the distance. Years of self-defense training helped her stay calm. She pulled the woman through the window and over her shoulder, thanking the spirits that she was a little smaller than Asami’s size, and then ran as fast as she could away from the wreck. The fuel caught and she was pushed forward with the explosion.

 

Asami came to a few seconds later. She rolled off the woman’s legs that she had been carrying, hoping that she didn’t break them when they fell. She took stock of her body again. Just some added brusing, maybe a cracked rib. The explosion had been small. Enough to burn out the cars, but she had gotten far enough that she and the woman were safe. Asami heard cars approaching. Who knows what people would assume, finding her near an explosion like this. The press had not exactly been in her court, and she did not need any more attention right now. She looked around and saw her Satocycle. Some fuel had leaked out, but for the most part the bike looked rideable. She strained to push it upright, hopped on, and kicked it to life, taking a side road to get away from the scene before anyone else showed up.

 

A short while after Asami got home, the doorbell at the mansion rang. _What the hell? Not today._ Nobody ever visited the mansion unannounced. She would have to talk to her security team about this. Asami put down the rag that she was using to clean out her hand. It reminded her of the days she spent in intensive training. “A good fighter can heal her own wounds, Asami,” her dad would say, refusing to take her to the hospital or let the staff help her. “You might not always have an assistant to do it for you.” As she grew up, her “self-defense” training got increasingly more brutal. By the time she finished school, she was used to having constant cuts and bruises beneath her clothing. “The harder they go on you here, the safer you’ll be out there.” In retrospect, it seemed obvious to Asami that her dad had been training her for much more than self-defense, at least in the later years. He wanted to use her. For what exactly, she never found out, because she left and stopped speaking to him, though she could hazard a guess now.

When Asami reached the door, she stuck her hand into her pocket to hide it, wincing as the tight fit pulled at the loose skin. She pulled the door open with her good hand to find a pair of concerned blue eyes looking up at her. “Asami?” Korra was out of breath and sweating.

“Korra, what are you doing here?”

“Mako sent me. He found your jacket at an accident downtown. It had some of your papers in the pocket. He didn’t want to turn it into the police because, well,” Korra paused, “it might look bad for you. He was worried that you might be hurt or something, so he sent me to find you.”

_The jacket. Thank spirits Mako found it._

“Can I come in?”

“Now’s not really a great time.” Asami saw Korra looking at the cuts on her arm. She shifted so the door blocked Korra’s view.

“What happened?”

“Got a little scraped up on my bike. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Asami, your jacket was in shreds,” Korra said, holding Asami’s gaze.

Asami stared back at Korra. She trusted the woman, she did. It had just been a long day, and she didn’t want to deal with an overreaction, and she didn’t want to have to explain all of it, and she was really fine, it was really just some cuts and bruises. Nothing she hadn’t dealt with on her own before.

Korra gently put a hand on Asami’s arm. Asami winced but didn’t back up. Korra used her other hand to stretch the pocket so she could slip Asami’s hand out without hurting it. She looked at the hand. It was pretty chewed up. No bone or muscle damage as far as Korra could tell, but pretty painful. Korra looked back at Asami, but the other woman looked away. Korra looked her over for any other injuries. The arm she saw earlier had jagged cuts from above the write to the elbow, and it looked like Asami was favoring one foot with all her weight.

“Let me in, please.” Part of Asami wanted to push Korra out and keep herself safe, and part of her wanted to fall into the other woman’s arms. She let go of the door, and Korra pushed it open. “Where’s the nearest sink?”

Asami led Korra back to where she had been cleaning her cuts, wincing as she tried not to limp. Korra slid Asami’s arm over her shoulders, taking most of the woman’s weight. Korra made Asami sit down and then paused. She wanted more than anything to heal Asami—the woman was clearly in a lot of pain, though she was hiding it well—but if she was going to work with Amon she needed to keep her bending abilities a secret. She started to clean Asami’s cuts with water and a rag, pulling out a few bits of glass that were embedded in her arm. The other woman was silent except for a few small gasps. Korra could see tears running down her face. The pain she was in was killing Korra. She thought for a moment.

“I have some of this healing stuff that we use back home. It’s got a whole ritual around it—kind of spiritual. I know it’s not your thing, but would you try it with me?” Korra hated lying to her, but it was the only way.

Asami nodded without looking at her. Korra reached into her bag and found a small vial of water.

“Ok, so the most important thing is that I need you to close your eyes and not open them until I say to. Can you do that?”

Asami nodded, eyes closed.

Korra begin speaking in her tribe’s native language, saying completely random things and hoping it would sound like some sort of incantation. She bent a bit of water into her hands and held it over Asami’s hand. She knew what she was doing was risky, but she couldn’t help herself.

“Ok, I’m going to put it on now. The water will feel a little warm and kind of strange, but that’s normal.”

Korra focused and the water warmed. There were technical ways of thinking of healing. Korra had read them in old texts, but they never made sense to her. For her, it was about feel. She would use the water to feel what wasn’t right, and if she paid close attention she could feel what needed to be changed. Korra simply had to lose herself a little to the other person’s energy and move the water the way the person’s body told her to. It was a very intimate experience, a way of knowing someone in more detail than you ever could with words.

Korra had to stop herself from healing Asami completely, instead doing only enough speeding up the most painful part of the process to keep the level of healing believable. When she was done with Asami’s hand, she worked her way to the woman’s other arm, closing the gashes left from the glass, then moving to her foot. When she was finished, she let the water drop.

“Was there anything I missed?”

“I think I might have broken a rib, here,” Asami pointed with her hand, her eyes still closed. Korra couldn’t believe she had a broken rib, too. She must have a long history of dealing with pain if she was able to keep it together this well with all her injuries.

“Do you mind if I lift up your shirt? It’s got to go right on your skin.”

Asami tensed before nodding. Korra gently lifted up Asami’s shirt to expose her ribs and saw what gave the woman pause. She had several scars across her ribs and stomach. Korra gently ran a finger down one, wondering how much there was about Asami that she didn’t know, but she could tell from how the other woman had been acting that she didn’t want to talk about it. Korra warmed more water and held it against Asami’s rib. Definitely broken.

“I think it’s just a little bruised,” Korra lied, giving herself more flexibility to heal it futher. When she was done, she let the water drop. “You can open your eyes now. I know it’s silly stuff, and it probably doesn’t work, but it always made me feel better.”

Asami nodded, finally looking at Korra. Her eyes were full of tears. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Don’t,” Korra said gently. “You don’t need to say sorry. Come on, let’s sit somewhere a little more comfortable.”

Asami stood up and stumbled.

 _Right._ Healing takes a lot of energy. “Here, mind if I?” Korra asked as she slowly slipped her arms around Asami’s back and knees. She walked Asami to the nearest couch and sat down next to her. They waited in silence for a while before Korra felt Asami’s body shaking. She looked over at the other woman and saw that she was crying. There was a lot Korra wanted to say, but instead she put her arm around Asami and pulled her closer, careful not to squeeze her ribs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think?


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of thoughts about the next chapter, but it's going to be too long to finish up right now, so I thought I'd give you something short while you wait.

“Brilliant, Aiwei,” Amon said, as the two watched from a rooftop as the police and firefighters clean up wreckages all down the road. He put his arm around Aiwei’s shoulders and began to laugh. “Absolutely perfect.”

“Careful, Amon, or people might think you like this destruction.”

“And if I do?”

Aiwei said nothing.

“Did you talk to Korra?” Amon asked.

“Yes. She’s at a loose end until the circus is back up, and it doesn’t look likely to happen soon.”

“Good. You kept the details vague?”

“As you asked.”

“And?”

“She’s in.” Aiwei paused, then spoke again. “Are you certain she’ll go with it when we have to escalate our tactics?”

“When?”

“These people aren’t going to roll over easy, Amon.”

“I know.” He wiped his hand down his face, letting it rest at his chin for a moment. Aiwei was right; there was something exciting to him about the car crashes and the work they did at the circus. It made him feel like change was coming. But he hadn’t completely lied to Korra. He didn’t _want_ to kill anyone. He was going to _have_ to. The gamble was on whether he could make her see it the same way. “What did you think when you spoke with her?”

“She has a fiery streak, but I sense that she doesn’t want to see damage being done,”

Amon sighed. “I got the same feeling. We’ll have to take it slow with her. We’ll need to get to know her better, understand what makes her tick. But I think she’ll come to agree with us.”

“It’s unlike you to bet so much on an unknown.”

“Korra will help us; we’ll do what we have to do,” Amon said firmly, staring at Aiwei before looking back out to the street and letting his voice soften. “I just hope she does it willingly.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied. I didn't get through to the chapter I thought I was going to get to today, but here's a bit of it.

“Do me proud,” Hiroshi said, handing Asami a machine gun. She didn’t want to take it, but her hands reached out. It was like muscle memory, but worse. She had no control of her body. Her brain was screaming no, but no sound came out. He pushed her toward a crowd of people. Asami’s hands picked up the gun and aimed randomly, her finger flexing to pull the trigger while every part other part of her screamed to put the gun down and run the other way.

Asami woke up gasping for air, sweating, and shaking. She and Korra had fallen asleep on the couch, and the other woman woke up with her, immediately alert. “’Sams, you ok?” Asami kept breathing jaggedly. “Hey,” Korra said, gently putting her hand on Asami’s back and rubbing it in wide circles, “look at me. We’re here, in your house. We fell asleep on the couch. You’re ok.”

Asami looked at her with fear in her eyes. “Korra, I was…I was going to k-kill…I was going to kill all of them,” she said, choking with sobs.

“Whatever it was, it was just a dream.” Asami was still shaking. “Asami, you are one of the kindest, most gentle people I have ever met. You’re not a killer, ok?” Asami pushed to stand up, but Korra pulled her back down and held her in a hug. “Hey. You can go if it’s really what you need, but you don’t have to keep hiding from me. I’m not going to go anywhere, and I’m not going to hurt you.”

Asami looked at Korra for a long time, her mind racing, but the other woman didn’t look away. Her eyes were full of care. Korra put her hand on Asami’s cheek. “You’ve been through so much. I don’t know what, but I know you have,” she said softly. “You didn’t deserve any of it.”

Asami leaned into Korra’s chest. “Hold me?” she asked quietly.

Strong arms wrapped around her. “Always,” Korra whispered into her hair.

 

Korra woke up in a bed, her arms tightly wrapped around the other woman’s body. She blushed and slowly slid her arms away, but Asami stirred and rolled over and—“Ugh!” Korra had a face full of saliva. She wiped her face with her hand and opened her eyes. “Naga!” Her best friend wagged her tail and flopped over for a belly rub. “How in the world did you get here?” she asked, with a huge grin. Waking up next to Naga was one of her favorite things in the world. The dog was at her cuddliest and incredibly sleepy-cute. She would return Korra’s morning greetings with a kiss and a flop down on the bed, rolling over now and again to remind Korra to keep petting her.

“Alright, girl, let’s go find Asami.” Naga’s ears perked up. “Seriously? You already know her name?” Naga’s tail was wagging hard. Korra laughed. “Ok, go find her!” Naga jumped off the bed and took off running down the hall. “Easy, girl!” Korra yelled, running after her. Naga led them to the kitchen. “Where’s Asami, girl? Is she in here? Is she?” Korra said in her puppy voice, grabbing Naga’s face and shaking it gently side to side. The dog loved it. She jumped into her play stance, trying to get Korra to wrestle with her. Korra dropped down to even their footing and grabbed for Naga’s legs, while the dog hopped back and forth to avoid her arms. After a few minutes Korra rolled onto her back. “I give up, girl! You gonna give me a belly rub?” Naga stared at her. “Come on, I really want one,” Korra said, rolling side to side in her best Naga imitation. Naga joined her on the floor. “Oh, come on. That’s no fair!” Korra said, laughing and giving her dog a big hug.

Asami stepped in from the doorway. She had returned to the kitchen just as Korra and Naga started to play, and the two were too adorable to interrupt. “Well, you two sure know how to start off a morning,” Asami said, smiling.

“Asami!” Korra yelped in surprise. She was still lying on Asami’s floor and feeling more than a little silly. “Sorry, I should probably get off your floor,” she said, her face red.

“No, don’t. I mean, you can get off my floor. Don’t be sorry. You two are really adorable. That just made my morning.” Korra blushed harder. Asami had forgotten how much fun it was to fluster the other woman. She looked at her watch. “Well, anyway, I was going to see if you’d accept a back rub instead of a belly rub, but I need to get going. We’ll have to rain check,” she said with a wink. “You can tell Wan when you’re ready to leave. He’ll get someone to drive you and Naga home. Bolin dropped her off this morning because he wasn’t sure when you were planning on heading home.”

“Oh, ok,” Korra said, standing up. It concerned her how quickly Asami could go from the state she was in the previous night to this. “Where are you off to?” she asked, noticing that Asami was wearing canvas pants and combat boots in place of the pencil skirt and heels she normally wore to work.

“I have a few errands to run,” Asami said, not inviting follow up.

“’Sams are you ok?”

“Yeah,” she said, but her face was a mask. She gave Korra a quick but tight hug. “Thank you for last night,” she said, holding the other woman at arms length. “I’ll see you soon.”

Korra wasn’t sure if it was the way Asami said it, the look in the woman’s eyes, or something in her own head, but something made her feel unsure about that.

 

Asami walked through the garage toward the Satocycles. Physically, she was feeling a lot better than when she went to bed. She had wrapped her ankle and it was holding weight well enough than nobody would be able to tell if she was favoring it. None of her cuts looked bad, and her rib felt much better that it had after the crash. It surprised her. She was normally spot-on about how injured her body was and how long it would need to heal. She must have overestimated the amout of adrenaline going through her system, or maybe she was out of practice. That or Korra’s magic water actually worked, because she was in much better shape than she thought she would be.

She hopped on a new bike. She couldn’t take any chances today, and after the crash she wasn’t positive that everything on her normal bike would work as expected. She took a deep breath to steady herself, then kicked the bike into gear and headed to the Flats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What in the world is Asami doing?


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, a long one! Still only got half as far as I thought I would in this much space, but that seems like a trend by now...

Asami ditched her motorcycle on a side street, hoping the thick chain she used to lock its wheels together would be enough to keep it from being stolen. She had done some research, and from what she could tell there should be a fighting house somewhere within walking distance. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to find out exactly where. She walked the length of the street and was about to turn the corner when she heard voices.

“If only we could bust ’em today. I heard it from my source.” A man with a gravelly voice was speaking in a hushed tone to someone else. “The Agni Kai’s warehouse is going to be wide open, and it’s about time we gained some ground on them.”

“Yeah, but Katsu won’t let us have another man, and we’ll need one for sure.”

“I know. There goes my promotion. Can’t catch a fuckin’ break around here.”

“Shh. I think I hear them coming.”

Asami heard voices footsteps, at least four people. Then a scuffle, some thuds and grunts. _Shit, this is not what I need._ Asamihad wanted to do a little recon, to understand enough to help her know what she could do to help, not to get involved in a gang fight.

“Backs against the wall, now!” Gravel yelled.

“Look, we don’t want any trouble,” someone replied in a panicked voice.

“Trouble? You don’t want any fuckin’ trouble?” The voice belonged to a new man. Asami heard a thud, likely from someone pushed into a wall. “You ditch the Triads, and you don’t want any trouble? You better thank your fuckin’ stars you’re not a Triple Threat.” His voice was full of venom.

“Hey, take it easy, ok?”

“Oh, sure, you want to make it easy?” Gravel again; he seemed like he was in charge. Another thud, this time metal hitting bone. The man gasped in pain, then started coughing. Likely a hit to the face. These guys weren’t playing around. “We could shoot you. That’d make things easy for us.” Really not playing around. Asami’s mind was racing. She had been trained in hand-to-hand, taught to shoot, and made to practice situations with terrible odds in order to hone her game-time strategic thinking, but she had never been in a fight with anyone who hadn’t been hired by her father. “What’d ya think, Kyo? Should we shoot ’em? Go on, you can take them all out.”

Asami had no idea how many people there were, and she didn’t have time for a plan, but she couldn’t stand by and listen to people get executed, so she pulled her gun out of her ankle holster and turned the corner. “Stop!” she yelled, as she figured where to point. And shit. Much worse than she hoped. Three armed men with five up against a wall. The five all looked unarmed. _Think, think._ She turned her gun to the man who looked in charge. Everyone was looking at her with surprise, and the two armed men not in charge couldn’t decide where to point their guns.

Gravel started laughing. “I don’t know who you are, sweetheart, but you’re not going to be able to do much with that little piece.”

_Think, think, think._ “I might not be able to do much, but I can sure get a bullet between your eyes.” _Think, Sato,_ Asami practically screamed at herself. _Got it._ She couldn’t take out all three, at least not without risking the lives of the other men, but she could negotiate. She was a damn good negotiator, one of the best. She just hoped the skills were transferrable. “But that wouldn’t help either of us, would it? I’ve got a better proposition.”

Gravel seemed tickled. “Enlighten me,” he said.

 “Well, I’ve got something I want, and it looks like you’ve got something you could use some help with.” Gravel cocked an eyebrow. “Heard you talking a few minutes ago. Seems like it wouldn’t do much good to hash out the plan in present company,” she said, gesturing with a nod to the men against the wall, “but I can tell you I’m a good shot and even better hand-to-hand, and I’m for hire.” The rest of Asami was catching up with her, and she couldn’t believe what she just said. She was offering to work with the Triple Threats. Doing whatever they needed a hired hand for. Likely shooting, perhaps even killing people. She started to feel queasy. Being trained to shoot and actually shooting real people were very different things. But she couldn’t let these men die. She focused on that and pushed everything else away, something else she had a lot of training in.

“What’s your price?”

She steeled her voice and continued. “Five men. Let them go, and I’m yours.”

“I like the sound of that,” he said with a slimy smile. It took everything Asami had not to gag. “But one for five?”

“Trust me, I’m worth a lot more than that.”

Gravel’s thinking was interrupted by the bigger of his goons. “Boss, no way. I didn’t want to go in a man down, and I definitely am not going in with a man—woman—whose hand I gotta hold.”

Asami knew this type of guy. She had met them hundreds of times in conference rooms and garages; he was the type who wouldn’t believe she could work alongside the boys until she handed his ass to him. Which she was more than happy to do. “Alright, handsome,” she said with a smile, “let me prove myself. You against me, right now. No guns. I win, you take the deal. I lose, you can shoot us all.” She set her gun down next to her. The man smiled. He actually smiled, looking her slowly over. He glanced at Gravel for permission, then set down his gun.

Asami let him step toward her so she could get a feel for the way he moved. He was big. If he got a hit in, she’d be done. Normally she’d want to wait and tire someone like this out, but he was underestimating her and he looked slow, like someone who normaly relied on guns and force. If she struck early, quick, and hard, she could finish this before he got a chance. She let him get close, holding a weak stance to reinforce his estimation of her. He faked a couple punches to get her to flinch, and she faked a few flinches in return. He laughed, but when he went to let a real one fly Asami ducked and hit him with a clean cut up through the jaw. He collapsed backward. Asami’s hand stung like hell, but she kept a straight face. Everyone was quiet for a second, except for the big guy moaning on the floor. Asami was tense. She wasn’t sure they would stay true to their word, and now she didn’t have a gun in her hand. She took a deep breath, but Gravel started laughing and clapping slowly.

“Looks like you’ve got yourself a deal,” he said, walking toward her. Asami had come to get to know how the triads work, and she was about to get a very intimate picture. Good thing she’d cleared her schedule at work.

 

Gravel rolled out a plan. He had taken Asami and his men to a room in the back of a building a few blocks away. “Yuu and Kyo already know the plan. You don’t need to know as much—just do your part. When you’re done, you leave. Simple as that.

“In two hours, this warehouse is going to be the least guarded it’s been in months. Men here, here, and here,” Gravel said, pointing to places on the plan. “I need to get in here with Kyo. That leaves you and Yuu on the outside. You take the guards out. That’ll draw most of the others. You take them out, too.  I don’t care how. Then we go in, and you’re free to go.”

“How many are you thinking?”

“Between two and ten.”

“That’s a huge range.”

“You get nothin’ without a little risk, sweetheart.”

“And how will we know when we have them all?”

“You’ll know.” _Helpful, thanks._

“Won’t the noise draw attention?”

“From who?”

“The police?”

All three men started laughing hard. “You’re not from here, are you, sweetheart?” Asami glared at him. The nickname was getting old. “The police don’t go within twenty blocks of that warehouse. Hell, we are the police. Look, we’ve got an hour tops in there, so you need to be quick. And don’t get any ideas. We’re not your team. If you get hit, if you fall, if you get caught escaping, we will leave you behind.”

“Heartening.”

“And sweetheart? Go with Yuu and get yourself a real gun.”

“I like mine fine, thanks.”

 

Asami spent an hour with the guys before she went to get her Satocycle so she could follow them to the warehouse. She was all nerves. Watching Korra play with Naga seemed like a world away. She supposed that was the point of all this—it was. When she rejoined the men, they handed her a few coils of rope and several strips of cloth. “If you don’t want to kill, you’ll need these,” Gravel grunted at her. “And these.” He handed her a pair of sunglasses and a hat. “If these men see you and you don’t kill them, they’ll find you.” Asami swallowed hard. _Right._

 

Yuu went around the warehouse so he and Asami could take the front from opposite sides. She was supposed to wait for three minutes before she struck to give the other man time to get in place. She peeked around the corner of the warehouse. Four men, and no way of sneaking up on them. But there was an overhang over the entrance of the warehouse. Asami wished she could have staked out the place beforehand. There were many obvious strategies, none of which were possible the way there were approaching. She had two minutes left. She looked around. Dumpster, window ledge. The building was two stories high—should be enough to get her on top. Asami put the rope over her shoulder and climed on the dumpster. She could just reach the window. She pulled herself up and got both feet on the ledge, then reached up for the roof and pulled herself over, gun in hand, hoping hard Gravel’s intelligence was right. Nobody on the roof. She quietly made her way to the area just above the guards. Lucky day; there was a railing. She uncoiled a rope and tied it to the railing, then dropped the end slowly over the roof’s edge so it led right to the overhang. Thirty seconds. The trick was getting down silently. Asami slid over the edge of the roof, holding the rope and letting herself down one hand at a time. Fifteen seconds. Her feet made contact with the overhang, not a second too soon for her burning hands. And gunshots.

Of course, Yuu just stepped around the corner and let his clip loose in the direction of the guards. How unhelpful could he be? Well, Plan B. She had a good location to cut people down—it would take them at least a few seconds to locate her with Yuu serving as a distraction. A few men raced out from under the overhang toward Yuu, and Asami hit them all. Kneecaps and shooting hands, two bullets each. They all fell. Yuu came out and let loose another clip, running toward the entrance. That meant more people underneath her. Suddenly, a bullet came up through the overhang. She’d been placed, but not hit.

Asami was all adrenaline. She jumped down from the overhang, remembering her bad ankle a little too late. The pain shot up through her leg, but she didn’t have a second to register it because she was face to face with a man holding a gun. She hit him in the face with the butt of her gun, knocking him out. Yuu shot another through the chest. The man fell, but his chest was still heaving. Asami could smell burnt flesh. There was blood everywhere. He was dead. Asami had just watched someone die. No, she had just helped kill someone. Her breath was coming in sharp jabs. She couldn’t move. All she could do was stare at the hole in the man’s chest and the blood seeping through his shirt.

Something hit Asami hard in the face. She startled. “Get with it, princess,” Yuu yelled at her. “What the fuck are you doing?” Asami looked around and realized more people were coming from inside the warehouse. She put her back against the outside wall, turning to shoot. She and Yu hit three, hers in the knees and hands, his through the chest. Two more were running full speed, apparently already having emptied their clips, as they had stopped shooting. With a quick look, Asami calculated that they were close enough that she could reach them before they had time to reload, so she ran toward them, Yuu lagging behind. Asami dodged the first man’s punch, grabbed his head, and used her momentum to drive her knee into his chest. He crumpled, and the woman just behind him took the moment to swing a punch into Asami’s jaw. She staggered with the force, and the woman stepped in closer and hit her again. She felt blood running down her face and her vision was blurry, but she took advantage of their proximity to wrap her hands around the woman’s neck and jump, pulling her down with the weight, wrapping her legs around the woman, and flipping them when they hit the ground so she had the woman’s head pinned. Yuu caught up with them just as she was knocking the woman out.

Asami wiped the blood off her face. It had been a while since her body had been battered like this, but she could still take it. She and Yuu set to tying up the fallen people. They worked their way from inside the warehouse to outside.  They were almost done when Asami heard something. The sound was unmistakable to her: a Satomobile. Actually, several. She and Yuu made eye contact, and she could tell from his face that this was not part of the plan. He yelled something out to Gravel and Kyo, then three cars turned the corner, headed full speed for the warehouse. Yuu turned and ran. Right, she wasn’t exactly part of their escape plan.

Asami ran back into the warehouse; there wasn’t anywhere else to go. She tried to remember what she could from the floorplan Gravel showed her. There should be a staircase. She looked around to get her bearings. Back left. She took off, hearing people get out of the cars. She found a door, thankfully unlocked. She took the stairs two at a time, all the way to the roof. She heard footsteps behind her—the sound of two people. She opened the roof door and ran to the ledge she climbed up earlier. She hopped over the edge just as the others got out to the roof, buying herself a few more seconds while they found where she got off. She dropped down to the dumpster and ran in the direction of where she left her Satocycle.

She turned the corner and there were two more women, but their guns weren’t out yet. Asami sprinted full force at them; her only hope was to reach before they could get their guns ready to fire. She tackled the first woman, grabbing her gun and pointing it at the second as she fired it. The second woman fell. Asami squeezed the trigger until the clip was empty. She let go of the gun, then blocked two punches with her arms. The woman got one through to her head, before Asami landed a spin kick that took her out.

Asami was at the end of her endurance. Her ankle was killing her, her face was bloody, and her arms and rib were badly bruised. She rallied the last of her strength. All she had to do was get to her bike. She ran, but after a few seconds she heard a pair of footsteps following her. She turned the corner, just a few more steps, and—no bike. No car. Asami didn’t know if it had been stolen, or if Gravel and his crew decided they needed an extra getaway vehicle, but either way she was totally screwed. She didn’t think she had it in her to fight another person, let alone the many who would come afterward, and she had no idea how else she would get away even if she could.

Well, she wouldn’t go out without a fight. She raised her fists and waited. But the man who turned the corner was dressed differently than the rest. Wait—she recognized him. He was one of the men from earlier today. “Quick,” he yelled, running to her, “this way!” Asami didn’t wasn’t sure who he was or where he was taking her, but he was her best option at the moment so she didn’t hesitate. The two ran down the street and took a couple of turns before they found the man’s bike. Asami didn’t need to be told to get on behind him, and as soon as she did he took off. “Here,” he yelled, handing her a rope. “Tie us together.”

“What?”

“We don’t have time, just do it.” Asami took the rope and tied them tight. “Secure?”

“Yes.”

“Ok. Sorry about this,” he said, and a sharp jab in the arm was the last thing she felt before she blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whaddya think? I dunno about action scenes...


	15. Chapter 15

Asami came to slowly and found her hands cuffed in her lap and a blindfold over her eyes. Every part of her body hurt. She heard someone stand next to her. Apparently, whoever they were didn’t want her dead, so she didn’t bother putting her hands up to defend.

“Oh, you’re up.” The voice sounded like the same one from the motorcycle, though Asami couldn’t be sure. “I’m really sorry about earlier. We have strict protocols and I couldn’t bring you here if you knew where we were going.” Was he really apologizing to her? “I didn’t have much time to think. We wanted to blindfold you, but we didn’t have time, and I didn’t know what else to do because there were a bunch of men running after us and...” He was rambling. It was almost sweet, except for the fact that he had knocked her unconscious. And that this had been one of the most intense days of her life, which given the past few weeks was saying a lot. Asami didn’t bother trying to process or strategize. Her head was pounding, and she didn’t have much left in her. “Uh, miss?” She realized he had asked her a question. “Can you stand on your own, or do you want help?” he repeated himself.

Asami thought that was a ridiculous question considering she was blindfolded, might have a broken ankle, and had no idea where she was.“I could use a hand,” she responded, her jaw stinging from even the slight movement. She had taken some hard hits earlier. She tried to take stock of each part of her body, but she was too exhausted. The man came over and hesitantly put a hand under her arm, as if he was afraid she would break him in half. He helped her up and led her to another room, where she sat in a hard chair. “Really, sorry again.” He hesitated. “Thanks for saving our lives and all,” he said quietly before closing the door.

Asami waited alone for a while before someone else came in. “So, you’re our mystery woman,” a woman said after sitting down. She had walked into the room confidently, and her voice had no traces of the previous man’s embarrassment or hesitance. “It’s not every day that someone shows up out of the blue and risks their life to save strangers, let alone our people.” She paused for a while. “You have to admit, it’s enough to be a little suspiscious about. You just happened to be around the neighborhood, be a trained fighter, overhear the whole conversation, and convince a bunch of thugs that you were worth five of our men? The guys are thankful, but I’m not so sure.” The woman stood up and started walking around the room, her voice getting edgier. She seemed to be waiting for a response, but Asami didn’t have the brain space to process any of this. “And why? A trained fighter like you just couldn’t stand to see five men die? After the dozens I’m sure you’ve killed already, doesn’t that seem just a little bit unlikely?” Asami’s mind was overcome with the image of the first man Yuu shot, bleeding out on the ground. She could still smell his burnt flesh. She pushed the images away. She could tell the woman was trying to unnerve her. Normally she would have a strategy to deal with it, but today she just couldn’t. “So why were you there? What are you, a gang member? A hired hand?” The woman was practically screaming when she grabbed Asami by her shoulders and shook her. “Tell me,” she yelled in Asami’s face.

“Please, I don’t know. I’m not, I swear.” Asami was tired and emotional and afraid. She started crying, and the words spilled out. “I just—I needed to find out more about the Triads. I thought, I don’t know. I thought I might be able to do something to help this city. Give people hope. And I heard there was a fighting house nearby. I was looking for it. I-I didn’t know anything. There were noises. And then they were going to shoot the men. I’ve never seen anyone be shot, not for real. I couldn’t just watch it happen, so I came out but I didn’t have a plan. I always have a plan. But I didn’t, and there were no other options, so I went with them. I couldn’t let those men die. So I went with them. And then Yuu shot him, right there, and the shirt was completely soaked, and it was all my fault.” By this point, Asami was completely rambling and hadn’t realized that the interrogator had left. Someone else came in and took off her blindfold and undid her cuffs.

“Asami?” The woman said, surprised.

Asami looked up. “Suyin?”

Suyin looked at the younger woman. Her face was badly bruised, and she looked like she was in a lot of pain. Suyin could only imagine how she was doing emotionally. The past few weeks had been a complete whirlwind for the girl, and now she had seen and been involved with someone getting killed for the first time, only to be knocked out and interrogated right after. “Let’s get you out of here, come on.” Suyin pulled Asami to her feet, putting the other woman’s arm around her shoulders when she realized Asami was wincing with every step. She walked Asami to a nearby room that was outfitted more comfortably and sat down with her on a couch. Asami stared at the floor, not talking.

“I’m sorry about the interrogation. It’s really important that what we do here is a secret. There are a lot of people who would pay a lot of money to find out where this place is and who we are. We needed to make sure that your being here wasn’t part of a plan.” Asami didn’t look up. Suyin felt a surge of compassion for the girl.

“I remember the first time I saw someone get killed,” she tried. “It isn’t easy. Do you want to talk about it?” Asami stayed silent. She looked so scared, small, and alone. “Asami, if what you said is true—if you do want to help people against the Triads and give them hope, you are one of us. We’ll take care of you.” Asami closed her eyes tightly. Suyin carefully reached around the girl’s shoulders, waiting to see if she would move away. When she didn’t, Suyin pulled her close. “It doesn’t help to keep it in, sweetheart. Trust me, I tried for years.”

It was too much. Asami started crying, hard.

 

Asami woke from sleeping when someone knocked on her door. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah,” Asami said sleepily, pushing herself to her elbows. A man walked in. “Wing?” Asami exclaimed in surprise.

He laughed a little sheepishly. “Yeah. Mom said you could use a familiar face. How ya doing?” He was holding a steaming cup in one hand and jar of something dark green in the other.

“Mom? Wait, you’re a Beifong?”

He chuckled again. “Yup, in the flesh.”

“How did I not know that?”

“We try to keep it on the down low. Let’s us keep an ear to the ground at the bar without anyone asking questions. Mind if I?” he asked, gesturing to a spot next to her on the bed. She scooted over to make some room and he sat down. “Here, Wei said he remembered that you sometimes ordered jasmine tea when you weren’t in the mood to drink,” he said handing her the cup.

Asami breathed in the smell. Suyin was right; it was nice to have a familiar face in all this mess. She took a sip of the tea, and something about the small comfort made her feel a lot better.

“People are like that, you know?” he said, noticing the change in her demeanor. “We just need a little bit to lift us up. I’ve learned that a lot around here.”

Asami gave him a small but genuine smile. “Thanks, Wing.”

“No problem. So that’s for your spirit, but I’ve also got something for your body. This is a salve we’ve been working on for a while now. It’s made of some plants from deep in the forest, and it works miracles on injuries. We’re not sure how. There’s something pretty magical about that place. Anyway, you’re probably too exhausted for all of that right now. Can I put it on for you?”

Asami nodded. She wasn’t sure if it was something about Wing and Suyin or if it was the day she had, but she was finding it easy to let them care for her. “Mind if I roll up your pants a bit?” Asami shook her head in reply. Wing put the jar between his legs and gently took off her boots and socks, then rolled up her pant legs carefully. “Oof,” he said, looking at her ankle. “I’ll get something to wrap that later.” He dipped his fingers in the jar, then rubbed his hands together before rubbing them very lightly over her ankle. The salve tingled slightly. She remembered Korra’s hands running warm water over her ribs last night and blushed. “Uh, sorry, is this ok?” Wing said, noticing her face.

Asami laughed. “Yeah, just thinking of something else. This feels nice.”

“Ok, good. Anything else before I get to your arms and face?”

“I took a hit to my ribs, but I can take care of that.”

“Sure, I’ll leave you the salve when I’m done.” Asami appreciated how Wing seemed to understand things without needing to ask. He applied the salve to her arms, then moved to her face. “I’m going to need you to close your eyes for a second,” he said, rubbing salve around her eye and cheekbone when she complied. Asami realized how much she wished his hands were Korra’s. It was nice to have someone caring for her, but she really could use Korra’s comfort right now. “Ok, all done. You look like a million yuan again,” Wing said with a smile.

“Just a million?” Asami quipped, and the two laughed.

“I’m going to get you something to wrap that ankle.” Wing stood up. “Mom said she’d be here in a few, too, so she could talk to you more about this place. You ok for now?”

“I think I am, thanks.”

 

A few hours later, Suyin had toured Asami through the entire underground complex and explained everything. She had founded a group about a decade ago to help the citizens in areas that the police ignored. They offered rehabilitation to ex-Triad members, gave out food and water where needed, and offered medical care, among other things. The group was a complete secret until recently. Not many knew they existed beyond the members and the people they helped, and nobody, not even Suyin’s sister, knew she was its head. However, with the group’s expansion in recent years, the Triads were starting to get wind. Suyin felt they could go two ways: tone down the operation, or ramp it up. She decided to go for the latter.

She was telling Asami about her latest idea: a force to fight back against the Triads. Small but impactful operations to begin with, then who knows what. “I think you should take it over,” she said, as she and Asami walked through the training facilities. “The skills you showed out there—that’s exactly what we need. You’re a better tactical thinker than I am, and you’re a better-trained fighter.” She looked at Asami. “I can tell you’ve got the itch to do something; same as I was ten years ago.” She smiled. Asami studied her face. It was a lot to think about, but something about Suyin made Asami trust her. As much as she didn’t want to be a part of the violence, she also felt like this could be the thing she was looking for: something to show people something else was possible. “Think on it,” Suyin said. “In the meantime, I think you should stay here for a few days, at least until your face heals enough that you can avoid any questions.”

Asami was done thinking. “No, I’ll do it,” she said.

“You’re sure?”

“As long as I can work at Future Industries by day, yes.”

“Ok, then,” she said, putting her arm around the girl’s shoulders. “Welcome to the White Lotus, Asami.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and the plot thickens...


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> meanwhile...

Korra ran the last bit of water over her shoulder before taking another look at herself in the mirror. No visible bruises or cuts—good. She didn’t want anyone getting suspiscious. Amon had put her through two rigorous days of testing, pushing her to find out exactly what her limits were in all sorts of different settings and with all sorts of different tasks. He asked her to stay at his training facility overnight, and she agreed, but today she needed a break. She was exhausted, and she wanted to see her friends. She, Mako, and Bolin made plans to go to Narook’s for dinner, but she hadn’t been able to get a hold of Asami.

Korra knew it had just been two days, but she was starting to get worried. Since the two of them had gotten close, they had spent every night together and kept each other up to date. Then, Asami came home all cut up and left the next morning on a mysterious errand, and Korra hadn’t heard from her since. There was a lot she didn’t know about the other woman, but, still, this seemed off.

Then again, Asami was a CEO; she was busy, and the two of them really hadn’t met too long ago. Korra was probably just getting too attached. The past couple weeks had been intense. Maybe things were settling down, and Asami didn’t want to spend as much time together. But the two of them had something special. Asami was her friend. Her best friend, really. She had to feel it, too, right? Korra felt pathetic. She had known the woman for all of, what, a few weeks? She shook her head. “Come on, girl,” she called to Naga. “Let’s go for a walk. I need to clear my head.”

 

Korra left Naga at home and biked to Narook’s. When she got there, she was greeted by one of Bolin’s trademark, somewhat suffocating hugs. “Korra, I haven’t seen you in for _ever_!”

“It’s nice to see you, too, Bolin.”

“Korra.”

“Mako,” Korra said, mocking his awkward greeting before pulling him into a hug.

The three of them got a table in the corner.

“How’ve you—”

“No, Mako! No talking. You know the rule.”

“Are we not talking today?” Korra asked.

“No, just not until we order. It’s a Bolin thing,” Mako said.

“It’s for the sake of my health and sanity. Otherwise, people start talking, then the waiter comes over and nobody knows what they want, so they sit there thinking, then the waiter gets tired and he says he’ll come back in a few, and then people talk again, and then he comes back, and it happens over and over and over while my poor, hungry stomach growls, which is really its way of crying for attention, and—”

“Ok, Bolin, we’ll order, then talk,” Korra said, laughing.

“See,” Bolin said, giving Mako a look, “someone gets it.”

After a short period of deciding, Korra settled on the seaweed noodles, Mako on the fire noodles, and Bolin on one of each. The three then fell into a comfortable pattern of conversation, talking about the goings on in the city over the past few days.

“You have to keep this to yourselves because nothing has been confirmed, but you guys heard of the accidents the other night?” Mako asked.

“The ones near the theater district?” Bolin replied.

“What are you talking about?” Korra asked.

“Two nights ago, there was a series of accidents by the theater district, over by that row of nice houses. It was strange because they happened all down the same street, five or six in a night when usually there’s maybe one a month.”

“That’s the same night you found Asami’s jacket.”

“Yeah, it was at one of those accidents. Anyway, Chief has me investigating, and it looks like someone tinkered with the lights to get them to all show green at the same time.”

“You mean someone wanted people to crash?” Korra asked.

“Looks like it. And it also looks like it was Amon.”

“He wouldn’t do that,” Korra said, a little too heatedly. The brothers looked at her, so she backtracked a little. “I mean, I don’t think he wants anyone to get hurt. He just wants change.”

“That’s not exactly how he came off at the circus,” Bolin said. “You know, with all that chaos stuff and the guns and the scary little dart things.”

“We don’t know who he is yet, but we’ve got some evidence that shows that it was him. Whoever it was used some of the same weapons and strategies to get into the lighting control room as they did at the circus, stuff like that.”

Korra let the information sink in. Amon had told her that he didn’t want to hurt people; he just needed a good show. But this seemed to go beyond that. He could have killed a lot of people. Hell, there could have been kids in those cars. And Asami—she had gotten into one of the accidents. Amon could have killed her. Korra could feel the anger bubbling up. He was playing her. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

“Korra, are you ok?” Bolin asked.

“I’m fine. I just can’t believe someone would do that.”

“Us either. It looks like he really is out to create chaos, and that’s a pretty dangerous thing to go up against. We’re doing our best to prepare, but there’s no telling where he’ll strike next.” Mako sounded more worried than Korra had seen him since she met him.

Their waiter set down their noodles, and Bolin dove right in. “Agh, these are so good,” he said, noodles spilling out of his mouth. “Too bad Asami couldn’t join us.”

Korra was grateful for the subject change. “Have either of you been able to get a hold of her?” Bolin and Mako shook their heads. “I’m starting to get worried.”

“I’m sure she’s fine. She has a tendency to get a little consumed by work,” Mako said.

“It’s just, it’s been a couple days and I haven’t heard from her,” Korra said.

“Your worried after not hearing from her for two days?”Mako asked, eyebrows raised. “I don’t know anyone Asami talks to every day. I didn’t realize you two had gotten _that_ close.”

Korra blushed. “Uh, no, I mean, I was just worried because of the accident. You’re right, she’s probably fine.”

Bolin put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Asami can take care of herself.”

Korra thought of all the weapons she saw at Amon’s training facility. “I’m sure she can,” she managed.

 

When the meal ended, Korra headed straight to the training facility. She grabbed the first guard she could find and pushed him roughly up against a wall. “Where’s Amon?” she yelled in his face.

“Korra, there’s no need to be violent,” Amon’s voice came from behind her.

She spun around. “You’re a fucking liar!” she yelled at him. “You could have killed her!”

“What are you talking about?”

“The car crashes. You said you weren’t going to hurt anyone.”

“Let’s continue this conversation in private, shall we?” Amon said, grabbing her arm and leading her away from the guard. When they got to the room, Korra shook him off.

“Well, what?” She was still yelling.

Amon kept his voice calm. “I said I didn’t want to hurt anyone, Korra, and I don’t. But you know as well as everyone else that we’re going to have to do more than ruffle a few feathers to change this city. This is a war, Korra.”

“But those civilians don’t have anything to do with it.”

“Yes, they do, just as much as anyone else, and they need to understand that they can’t feign ignorance anymore. The battle needs to move out of the poor areas of the city before anyone will pay it any heed. We’ve talked about this.”

“But this is different. It wasn’t a show. People got hurt.” _Asami got hurt._

“We did everything we could to minimize that. We picked a low-traffic street and a time of day where the fewest cars are on the road. Nobody died. There weren’t even any serious injuries. Just some cuts and scrapes, and a clear wake-up call.” Korra could feel herself calming down a little bit. He was making good points, but she wanted to stay angry. “What I want is to minimize the damage we have to do to make the change that this city needs. A few car crashes is nothing compared to the number of people who die daily because of the Triads. The city needs this, Korra. I know you can see that.”

“I don’t know. It needs change, but I don’t know if it needs this _._ ”

“Well, then let’s do something different. Now that I know exactly what you can do, I’ve got a couple projects for you. No innocent civilians.” Korra looked skeptical. “Just hear me out.”

 

Amon talked Korra down for a couple more hours, and then told her about her first project. It was one she could easily get behind. Amon had found a weapon stockpile for the Triple Threats. It was in a warehouse right by the docks. Guns and other weapons came in shipments on boats, got loaded into the warehouse, and then got distributed to Triple Threat territory after a couple days’ wait. Her job was easy; wait for a shipment, then flood the warehouse so the weapons were useless. Fewer guns on the streets meant less violence, and it also sent a message to the Triads that they weren’t untouchable. Amon was going to wait until the following week to do it, but there was rumor a shipment was coming in tonight, and Korra had enough energy to burn off that she wanted to go for it.

The operation went smoothly. Amon had his people create a distraction to draw the guards who were inside the warehouse to the outside. Then, Korra bent the water from the bay in through a window. It was a tiring but simple move. The guards were so shocked at the huge, controlled wave of water that they didn’t put up a fight, and as soon as she was done she and the rest of Amon’s people took off. Nobody was hurt, and the task was complete in under a half hour.

When they got back, Korra’s body was full of adrenaline, and she was in better spirits. It felt good to have such a tangible impact. She couldn’t even guess how many people she had just helped, and it had been so seamless. She was starting to understand how she could really tip the scales and help Amon avoid hurting people. She decided to find him and ask about her next project before heading home.

 

“You were right, as always, Aiwei,” Amon said.

“Hmm?”

“Getting her in action was key, especially with such a simple project. You should have seen how her energy changed.”

“Some people are too predictable. What’s next?”

“Raiko’s reception.”

“Tomorrow?”

“We need to move on before the fallout from this gets big. I have a hunch it’ll be a lot uglier than our waterbender imagines. Plus, it’ll be good to have her with us.”

“What did you tell her about it?”

“Just what she needs to know.”

“And?”

“She’s in, of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like this, check out my other fic, [Every Time We Meet](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4478840/chapters/10181597). It's a bunch of korrasami one-shots.


	17. Chapter 17

Asami had spent the past two days working almost non-stop on weapons designs for the White Lotus. After fighting the other day, she saw the need for something that could take people out without killing them. Countless hours of sketching and thinking later, she was fairly sure she had just the thing, though she couldn’t be positive until she got back into the workshop to prototype it. Now all she needed was to figure out where her father had been manufacturing weapons for Amon so she could repurpose his facilities, and they’d be up and running in a matter of days. That would require a trip to her father, convincing him to give her the information, and somehow doing it all in enough code that the prison guards would be none the wiser for it. That’s why she had started with the weapon design—much easier.

Asami stood up and stretched. She was looking forward to getting back to Future Industries. She had delegated the work for when she was gone to some of her most capable workers so she trusted things were running well, but she didn’t feel quite right staying away from it for too long anymore. She liked being able to keep the pulse of things in her office and at her factories. They were hers now, and she was determined to treat them better than her father had.

“Asami?” While she had been thinking, someone walked into her room behind her. Asami turned around and almost didn’t recognize the woman; the way she held herself was completely different than when they had met in the warehouse. She still projected strength and confidence, but there was an added softness and something more humble about her than before. Her voice was still strong, as well, but in the place of hostility there was a note of care. “Kuvira?” Asami said with surprise, still not completely sure that she shouldn’t call for Suyin.

Kuvira laughed a little uncomfortably. She had done the re-meet a few times, and it was never fun. Sometimes people refused to talk to her again, insisting she was the role she played in public. But it was worth it for the kind of work posing as a Republic City Times reporter let her do for the White Lotus.

“Hey,” she said. “I thought I should re-introduce myself. I’m sorry about earlier. The whole calculating, intimidating, wants-to-rule-the-world thing—it’s a cover I have to maintain.” Kuvira saw doubt still in Asami’s face. “I know, I’m pretty good at it, right?” she tried, but got no response. The two women stood in silence for a while. Kuvira had been hoping to get the chance to know Asami since they had met, but she worried her role may have cost her another potential friend. It was lonely work, playing a villain. “I understand if you don’t want to talk to me. I just wanted to drop by, but I’ll leave you alone now,” she said, turning to the door.

Asami stopped her. “No, I-uh, sorry this has all been a lot to process. I owe you an apology, as well. I kind of lost it when we talked.”

“You were a little terrifying, I have to admit,” Kuvira said, trying humor again. Asami had been intimidating, much more so than anyone she had faced before, but not in the familiar way. When most other people threatened her, the intimidation came from the tools they had at their disposal or their disregard for human suffering. With Asami, the intimidation was the sheer force with which she cared, and the certainty that she would do anything to protect what she loved and what she thought was right. That was what drew Kuvira to her.  

Asami frowned. “You gave me a lot to think about. I never thought I would have reacted like that.”

“Hey,” Kuvira said, stepping forward and putting a hand on Asami’s shoulder, “it was a joke. Don’t beat yourself up over it. You didn’t do anything but show that you wouldn’t take my crap, and given how I was acting that’s only respectable. Not many people would have the guts to say what you said.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to say that.”

“It’s true. Plus, Suyin asked me to push you so we could see how you’d react. We picked a vulnerable time on purpose.” Kuvira had felt bad about that. She could tell that the timing was perfect for their purposes but awful for Asami. The woman had just been betrayed by her father, taken over a company, and, if Kuvira’s sources had it right, ended a relationship with her boyfriend. Kuvira wished there had been another way, but they had to see what Asami would do when pushed to her limits. Still, it was hard to bully someone who was so clearly suffering, and Kuvira was glad she was finally getting the chance to explain it.

“It was a test?” Asami asked.

Kuvira nodded. “We’ve been following you pretty closely. We weren’t sure what you’d be like, given—err, family history, but if there’s one thing we’ve all learned here it’s that you find allies in unlikely places. There’s no way Suyin would have toured you around this place after just one interrogation if we hadn’t already vetted you.”

“This city gets more complicated by the second. It’s enough to make my head spin.”

“If it’s got your head spinning, you can only imagine what it’s doing to the rest of us,” Kuvira said with a smile. “Look, you’re doing great all things considered, and we’re really glad to have you on our team.” She gave Asami’s shoulder a squeeze before letting her hand drop. “So what’s all this?” she asked, pointing to the drawings on the table.

“I’m trying to design some weapons for the fighting force Suyin wants to create. She put me in charge, and I want to make us something we can use to stun but not kill.”

“That’s a great idea,” Kuvira said, looking over the plans.

“It was, but I’m afraid that we might not be able to manufacture them quick enough.”

“Why’s that?”

“I was counting on using the plants my dad set up for Amon, but I think I was a little ambitious in my plan to figure out where they are.” She sighed. “I’m not sure I’m even ready to talk to him again.”

“I can help with that,” Kuvira said.

“Really?” Asami lit up.

“Sure. What I do isn’t _only_ a cover,” Kuvira said with a wink. “I pull my weight around here, too. Intelligence gathering and interrogation, mostly, in addition to the stories. Being a reporter lets me keep my eye on a lot without raising suspicion. Anyway, I wasn’t lying when I told you I’d been looking into Amon and your father. I know where the factories are, and from what I can tell nobody else is close to finding them, so you’ll probably have a good few weeks of use from them before you’ll have to clean out.”

“That’s good. It should be enough,” Asami said, but the excitement was gone from her voice. The two stood in silence for a little longer.

“I know we haven’t known each other for a long time, but I’m here if you need to talk. I know what it’s like to have a parent betray you. Mine abandoned me to join the Triads when I was young. That’s how I got to know Su—she took me in. I don’t know how you’re feeling right now, but I know I was hurt and lonely for a long time, and eventually it just turned to anger. I think that’s why I can play my part so well. I just think of how I felt then. Anyway, it’s all to say that you don’t have to do this alone. I know I couldn’t have, as much as I was determined to try, and you have people here who want to help take care of you. Su’s one, so are Wing and Wei, and so am I.”

Kuvira was looking at Asami with sincere green eyes. Just a few weeks ago, Asami had felt so lonely, and now it felt like she had a family. It was overwhelming. She blinked back some tears and gave Kuvira a small smile. “Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you love to hate Kuvira too much for this?


	18. Chapter 18

Asami decided to go home that night; the salve had worked wonders on her visible bruises and cuts, and she figured she could cover what was left with makeup in the morning. Plus, she was itching to see Korra. She swung by the other woman’s place on her way home, but when she got there nobody was home. It was unusual for Korra to be out late on a weekday, but the circus was still closed so Asami thought she might be out with Bolin. For some reason, Asami didn’t want to go home without seeing her, so she decided to wait for a little while. She lost herself looking at the stars and letting her mind wander until she hear Korra locking up her bike and walking toward her.

“Out partying without me?” Asami asked, a hand on her hip and an eyebrow cocked. The words had barely left her mouth before Korra had her by the collar and pushed her toward the wall. Asami felt herself getting flustered. It wasn’t exactly an expected greeting, but Asami was realizing that it also wasn’t unwelcome. She _had_ already noticed that Korra was attractive, and the fact that she was a little assertive was a turn on. That is, until Asami realized a split second later that this was not a romantic gesture. Her instincts kicked in and she countered by twisting Korra’s wrist and turning her so she was face against the wall.

“Asami?” she yelped in pain.

Asami let go. “Well that was a steamier response than I was expecting.”

Korra turned around. “Shit, sorry. I was just feeling a little jumpy and didn’t realize it was you,” she said, blushing.

Asami laughed. “No harm done, except maybe to your wrist. Sorry about that. It’s instinct.”

“It’s fine. I definitely deserved it.” Korra shook out her wrist before grabbing Asami in a big hug. “I’m so glad you’re ok. I was worried.”

Asami relaxed in the other woman’s arms, and it felt good. “Sorry, I got…tied up.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, and Suyin had made her swear to tell no one about the past couple days. Korra let her go so that the two women were face to face. She had the most beautiful eyes, and she was flushed from some kind of exercise. Asami was realizing now that they had a calm moment to themselves that she was interested in a lot more than friendship with the other woman. Flustering her was fun, but being pushed up against a wall by her was much more so. Unfortunately, she couldn’t exactly tell what Korra’s thoughts were. She did get flustered easily by Asami, but she never flirted back. There could be dozens of reasons for both of those.

“’Sams?”

“Huh?” Asami snapped out of her thoughts.

“You were staring at me.”

This time, Asami blushed. “Sorry, I was—thinking.”

“Oh yeah, about what?” Korra asked.

It was an innocent enough question, but Asami wondered if Korra knew. “Nothing. It’s been a long day.”

“You want to come in?” Korra asked.

“Yeah.”

As Korra unlocked the door, Asami had the urge to slip her hands around the other woman’s waist and rest her chin on her shoulder, but instead she stood a step back and waited to greet Naga. The three headed back into Korra’s apartment, and Asami sunk into her couch.

Korra watched Asami settle down. Her movements looked stiffer than usual, and she seemed tired. Korra put the kettle on the fire and then sat down next to Asami. “How about I take you up on that massage but in reverse?”

“Hm?”

“You look tense, and you’re spacier than I’ve ever seen you. Here,” Korra said, pointing to the floor between her legs, “sit.” Asami obliged, and Korra tried to ignore the feeling in her chest as the woman leaned back into her. They had held each other before, but something about tonight felt different. She gathered Asami’s hair and put it to one side, then started working on the muscles in her neck and shoulders. “Tell me if you want me to adjust the pressure.”

“Mm no this is perfect.”

The two sat in silence, except the occasional sound from Asami when Korra hit a particularly good spot, as Korra worked her way to Asami’s upper back. She liked putting her energy into relaxing the other woman. The touch was intimate, and it was nice to be able to connect without talking. After a while, the kettle whistled, and Korra got up to pour them tea. When she came back, Asami had reclaimed her spot on the couch, sitting with her knees to her chest. When Korra sat down, Asami cuddled up into her, resting her head on the woman’s shoulder and hugging her mug of tea to her chest. “Thank you,” Asami said. “This is nice.”

Korra moved so she could put her arm around Asami’s waist. They had been this close plenty of times before, but this was the first time they had cuddled when one of them wasn’t hurt or in need of support. Korra could feel her heart racing at the contact. She took a sip of her tea, then set it down and looked at Asami. “Hey, what happened here?” she asked, tracing a couple fingers over Asami’s cheekbone. In the light, she could see it was yellowed, like an old bruise.

Asami looked up at her. “I don’t know. It must be from the other day.”

“Looks like it hurt.”

“It feels fine now.”

Korra let the rest of her hand settle against Asami’s cheek. “Please be careful, ok? I really care about you.”

Asami nodded. Korra leaned forward and kissed Asami lightly on the forehead, then on the temple, then on her bruised cheek. She pulled back slightly, so their faces were inches apart, and Asami put a hand behind Korra’s neck and pulled her into a kiss. It was light and soft and tasted of tea, and Korra couldn’t get enough. She put Asami’s mug down, too, and they kissed deeper, and Korra never wanted them to stop.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one while you wait

Asami woke up to find Korra lying next to her and looking at her. The woman was gorgeous. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, and her nightshirt showed off her collarbones and toned arms. Asami returned her gaze, and immediately felt warm from the way Korra was looking at her.

“Good morning,” Korra said with a soft smile.

“Morning,” Asami said, savoring the moment.

Korra reached over and brushed some hair from Asami’s face, suddenly shy. “Do I…uh, do I get to kiss you again?”

Korra was adorable, and Asami couldn’t help but laugh. Then, feeling a little mischevious, she rolled herself on top of Korra, kissing up the woman’s neck until her lips brushed against her ear. “You could do a lot more than that if I didn’t have to go to work right now,” she whispered before biting the woman’s earlobe. Korra groaned, and the sound turned Asami on more than she could have imagined. Korra put her hands low on Asami’s hips, and Asami felt her chest tighten. It took every ounce of willpower she had to push away. “Really,” she said. “I love you dearly, but I have to go to work.”

The words were out before she realized what she said, and as soon as she heard them she panicked. They were true, Asami was sure of that. There was no mistaking how she felt about Korra. But they had practically just met and it felt like way too much to say so soon. She had no idea how Korra felt, and she didn’t want to freak her out. “Sorry, I mean, I didn’t mean to…”

Korra pulled her back down and kissed her. “I love you, too,” she said, holding Asami’s gaze for a few seconds. Then the look in her eyes changed and she flipped the two of them over so she was straddling Asami. She grinned, slipping one hand a little lower on Asami’s waist and threading the other through her hair, pulling just slightly, which caused Asami to grab her desperately. Korra lowered herself so her face was inches from Asami’s. Her eyes were full of fire. “This,” she said, slipping a leg between Asami’s and pushing down, feeling the other woman’s body shudder, “is payback.” Then, she quickly pushed herself out of Asami’s arms and grinned harder. “Wouldn’t want you to be late for work!” Asami threw a pillow at her. “There’s a fresh towel in the cupboard in the bathroom if you want to shower,” Korra called over her shoulder as she bounced out of the room. “I’ll make you some breakfast.”

 

When Asami came into the kitchen, it smelled amazing. “Careful,” she said, as she wrapped her arms around Korra from behind, “I’m starting to get used to this whole you making me breakfast thing.”

Korra leaned into her as she turned the fire off. “If it means I get to wake up with you, I’ll make you breakfast every day.”

“Dork,” Asami said, kissing her cheek.

“You love it.” Korra stepped away so she could cut the sandwich she made. She put her half on a plate and wrapped Asami’s up so she could take it with her. “What’re you up to tonight?”

“Can’t get enough of me?” Asami asked. Korra blushed, and Asami laughed. “Unfortunately, I have a lot of work to catch up on.”

“So you’ll be at the office all night?”

“Yeah. Raiko invited me to this reception he’s having,” Korra tensed—she had been fishing for this information, “but I turned him down ages ago.” Korra sighed with relief. Amon had told her they wouldn’t hurt anyone, but she still didn’t want to be anywhere near Asami when she was working with him, just in case. “All the ‘important people’ in Republic City will be there, and I wanted to make a statement with my absense. Anyway, I have a ton to do, so I’m glad I’ll have the extra time to work.” Korra frowned. That wasn’t what Amon had told her. He had said it was a small event, only Raiko’s closest partners and biggest donors. If Asami was invited, that couldn’t be true.

Asami misread the reason for Korra’s frown. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy,” she said, pulling the other woman closer. “Maybe you can come over to my place tonight? I can swing by on my way from work and pick you and Naga up.”

Korra shook out of her thoughts and kissed Asami. She loved how casually she got to do that now. “No, it’s ok. It’s a wild time for everyone right now. Don’t worry about tonight. I’ll probably be hanging out with Bolin or something anyway.” Korra hated lying like this, but she had no other choice.

“Ok, don’t get too crazy without me,” Asami said, winking. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, see you then.”


	20. Chapter 20

“He did what?” Asami could not believe what her assistant was telling her.

“I’m sorry Ms. Sato. I’ve been trying to reach you.” Mai looked frantic.

“No, no, it’s not your fault,” Asami said, trying to calm her voice. “I just can’t believe Raiko would do that.”

“It is a legal gray area, and it took some creativity, but there’s enough ambiguity in your contract that he might be able to get away with it.”

“But I’ve already spent so much money on it.” Asami put her head in her hands. The redesign in the Dragon Flats had been met with such strong popular approval that Raiko had been all but forced to hire Future Industries for the larger scale city improvements scheduled for next year. It was a lot of money, and Asami had been counting on it to keep Future Industries in the black. And in the span of two days, Raiko had managed to come up with a reason to flip the contract to Cabbage Corps. 

“I know. He used the streetlight malfunction as a reason. He said that the police suspected foul play, and he didn’t feel comfortable contracting a company that was implicated in past terrorist activities and might well still be involved.”

“So he’s saying that we were responsible for the accidents?” Mai didn’t need to answer. Future Industries had built the streetlights that malfunctioned. Given their recent publicity, it wouldn’t be a hard sell to convince people that the company was still involved with Amon. In one fell swoop Raiko had taken away her financial stability and cast the name she had just started to clear back in doubt. Asami’s despair was quickly turning to anger. She wasn’t going to let him sink her that easily. “Mai, what time is that reception tonight?”

“Eight o’clock.”

“And the invitation included a plus one, correct?”

“Yes, but I told them you weren’t coming ages ago.”

“Oh, that’s alright,” Asami said with a smile. She had a plan. “I’m sure Raiko won’t mind the surprise.”

 

Kuvira arrived at Asami’s office at seven-thirty sharp, dressed in tight, black dress pants, heels, a thin white dress shirt, and a suit jacket that hugged her body. The top two buttons on her shirt were undone, and a bowtie was draped around her neck, untied. “What do you think?”

Asami had asked her to dress to catch eyes, and this would certainly do it. The woman looked stunning, powerful, and sexy. Nobody would miss her in the room. “It’s perfect. Are you sure you’re up for this?” Asami’s plan was to have Kuvira accompany her to Raiko’s reception. The annual event was more a series of underground business meetings than a reception, and it was where Raiko secured most of his donations. If it didn’t run smoothly, he would loose a lot, and Asami was sure that having Republic City’s most prominent news reporter walking around would put a damper on his ability to speak freely. She intended to use Kuvira’s presence as leverage, as well as to send a strong message to Raiko. But she didn’t want to raise too much suspicion for having Kuvira on her arm all night.

“It’ll be alright for one night. There’s clear gain in it for each of us, and I have a reputation for not always playing by the books, so I don’t think anyone will think twice about it. It helps that he doesn’t let the press anywhere near things like this, so we won’t make any headlines. I’ll just make sure to scowl a little extra in Suyin’s direction,” she said with a laugh, though Asami saw a trace of sadness in the woman’s eyes. It must be hard to have the world think what they did of her. “Plus, who would say no to landing a date with Asami Sato?” Kuvira asked, changing the subject.

“Well, you’re quite the catch yourself,” Asami said, smiling. “You look stunning. I’m going to get changed so I can hold my own.” Before she left, she pulled Kuvira into a hug. “Thank you for doing this. You’re a life saver.”

 

“Shall we?” Asami asked, offering her arm to Kuvira as they walked into Raiko’s reception. Most of the other guests were present, and Asami and Kuvira were already turning heads.

“This will be fun,” Kuvira said. “Should we find Raiko?”

“No, let’s make him come to us. In the meantime, all we have to do is be seen.” The women took a slow walk around the large fountain in the center of the hall before they stopped at the bar, where Asami got them both fire whiskeys. “Cheers,” Kuvira said, clinking her glass to Asami’s before downing it in one.

“It’s going to be that kind of night?”

“Well, we might as well have some fun,” Kuvira said.

Asami laughed before swallowing the contents of her glass, as well. “Having fun at a Raiko reception? It’s a good thing I like a challenge.”

The women spent the next half hour alternating between standing at the bar and introducing themselves to anyone who seemed deep in conversation. It didn’t take long for the tone of the room to shift. People kept glancing over at the two women, and the conversations they overheard became much more light-hearted. A few people left; others were checking their watches. The bar was less crowded than before. It was too easy. It only takes a person or two to break the illusion of trust, safety, and secrecy. Without it, people wouldn’t loosen up, and if people were stiff Raiko would have a hard time convincing them to give what he needed. She didn’t need to make threats or backroom deals. She only had to catch Raiko at his game, and all that took was bringing the wrong date with her.

Asami gave Kuvira’s arm a squeeze. “I think I’m having fun after all.”

“It’s about to get a lot more interesting. Look to your left.”

Asami casually turned her head and saw Raiko walking toward them. His face was all smiles and charm, but his body language told another story. “Ladies, what a surprise,” Raiko said coldly when he closed the distance.

“My schedule happened to free up last minute, so I thought I would take you up on your gracious invitation. You know Kuvira.”

“President Raiko,” Kuvira said, her face suddenly a threat, “so nice of you to have me.” _Right, she has to play her role._

“Kuvira,” Raiko said with a nod. “I wasn’t aware that you two were…acquaintances.”

Kuvira slid her hand around Asami’s waist and gave Raiko a devilish smile. “Sometimes the most unexpected partnerships can be the most beneficial. That’s something I believe you understand well, isn’t it?” Kuvira said. _Damn she’s good._

“Alright, let’s cut the shit,” Raiko growled, the smile falling from his face. “Why the hell did you bring her to my reception, Sato?”

“She’s my date, Raiko, nothing more,” Asami said with her best smile. She was enjoying toying with him.

“You just happened to choose the Republic City Times’ best reporter as your date?”

“And you just happened to flip my contract to Cabbage Corps?”

“So that’s what this is about?”

_No, this is about you being a corrupt piece of shit politician whose days of being a tyrant are coming to an end, but I can’t say that right now, can I?_ “For me, at least. I’m sure Kuvira has her own motivations.” Kuvira just smiled. “I’ll tell you what. Flip the contract back, and we’ll leave. But let this be a warning to you. You had better stop fucking with Future Industries, Raiko. I know how to play this game. You don’t want to mess with me.”

Raiko was red, but he knew he didn’t have a choice. “Fine,” he managed.

“Well, I’m glad we could do some business here. Enjoy your reception,” Asami said.

“Lovely seeing you, Mr. President,” Kuvira finished before the two women turned for the door.

 

Korra strapped a gun to her thigh and pulled the protective vest on. She felt bad for doubting Amon earlier. She had confronted him about the reception, and instead of arguing he handed her the floor plans and a guest list. The hall was too small to fit a large crowd, and even from a quick scan Korra recognized most of the names on the list as some of Republic City’s most notoriously corrupt businesspeople. Asami must have been exaggerating, or maybe Korra read too much into what she said. Maybe she was getting paranoid. Either way, she apologized. It looked like he was telling the truth.

She pushed it from her head and ran the night’s plan over one last time. She had memorized the hall’s floor plans and the locations of every water source. Amon had an inside man who slipped them the locations of each guard, which Korra committed to memory as well. The operation was supposed to be fairly simple, but she didn’t want to leave anything to chance. The most difficult part, as far as she could tell, would be taking out the guards without making noise. Korra had come up with a plan that she thought would work, but all in all the night was going to require a lot from her. She pulled a few waterskins on top of her vest. She was as ready as she would ever be.

 

Korra climbed the side of the building, making herself foot and handholds out of ice as she went. Amon took a small team and said he could handle the men below. Most of the security was on the roof and inside. That was Korra’s job. She took a deep breath as she neared the top of the building. This was the trickiest part of the night. There would be one guard right in front of her when she pulled herself over. She would only be in that guard’s range of vision, but she would have to strike them immediately before they got a chance to call out. She checked her watch. Nine on the dot. Amon’s men would be in place on the roof.

Korra made herself a ledge just under the side of the roof and pulled herself onto it, getting into a low crouch. When she stood up, she’d be able to see the guard. She bent some water out of her waterskin and held it at the ready. _Here goes nothing._ Korra stood up, saw the outline of a body, and fired. She hit the woman straight in the jaw, with enough force to whip her head around and cause her to fall unconscious. Amon’s man dove out from behind some kind of vent and caught her, easing her to the ground without a sound before tying her up. Korra repeated the scene with the other nine guards, knocking them out in one hit and letting one of Amon’s men catch them and tie them up. The system allowed Amon’s men to get as close as they could without being detected, which, if Korra timed her hits right, was close enough to jump out and catch a body before it hit the ground. This way, Korra could strike from far away while staying hidden. The guard wouldn’t see anything but a flash of water seconds before it struck them. It was a good plan; it minimized the chances of a counterattack or someone calling for help, was nearly silent, and avoided the difficulty of finding a way for Amon’s men to get within a hand’s range on a roof with limited obstacles to hide behind.

Once all the guards fell, Korra motioned for Amon’s men to follow her. She ran to the door and bent water into the gap between it and its frame, pushing in the mechanism that held the door in place and letting one of the men pull it open silently. Once they were inside, they split up. Korra ran down the hall, her heart thumping. There were supposed to move as quickly as possible in case something went wrong. She turned to the right and found the door to the stairs. Once she was on the balcony floor, she opened the door to find two guards who weren’t supposed to be there. They were sitting on the floor, and one had a large pastry in his hand. Korra’s waterskins were closed, and she didn’t want to risk the noise of using her gun.

“Hey!” one of the guards yelled at her, but before he had time to finish she had spun a kick to just under his jaw, and he crumpled. The other man dropped the pastry and reached for his gun, but Korra planted her foot, pivoted, and hit him in the temple. She pulled their shirts off and used them as gags. They were too heavy for her to carry anywhere, so she left them there. They were at a back entrance. The chances they would be found soon were low but not nonexistent. She would have to move fast and hope the others were, too.

Korra made her way to her vantage point. She could see almost the whole hall from where she stood. There was a fountain right in the middle of the room, as promised, and a lot of well dressed people milling around. She splashed a little of the water onto the floor from the fountain. It wouldn’t raise suspicion, and it was Amon’s signal that she was in place. She began to slow her breathing. She would need all the focus she could get. She closed her eyes and felt the water instead. This way, she could focus on all of the people in the room at once, recognizing them by the volume of the water focused in one place. She knew where Amon’s men would be, so she knew who to avoid. She let her connection to each person strengthen, breathing in and out. Then, she heard a boom. Amon was in place. Korra tensed her arms and got ready to bend.


End file.
